Time Turner Troubles
by DOTMW
Summary: COMPLETED! When a wayward spell destroys their father's Order of Merlin, The Potter and Weasley kids go back in time to fix it only to get lost and run into Order of the Pheonix two years before Voldemort's Defeat...HPXGW, RWXHG RLXNT
1. Home for the Holidays

Chapter One: Home for the Holidays

_Disclaimer: Hello! J.K Rowling here! I've decided to take time off from counting my huge stacks of muggle money and write a story for (For those of you who don't speak sarcasm, allow me to translate: I am not J.K Rowling I do not own Harry Potter and I do not have huge stacks of muggle money…___

Ginny sat before the type-writer, tongue stuck between her teeth as she racked her brain trying, in vain, to finish the article that rested on her desktop. Christmas was only three days away and she wanted to be finished in time to enjoy it. The warm sounds of the radio wafted across the room to where the thirty-seven year old threw another failed attempt into the roaring fire where it promptly exploded in a flash of green light. Pulling another sheet of paper out from under her chair and feeding it into the machine, she began re-typing the article she was writing.

_**CANNONS OUT OF AMMO? **_

_**By Ginny "Eagle Eyes" Potter **_

_Last season saw the worst year the Chudley Cannons have ever seen. With a staggering twenty five losses and only a single win (by forfeit) many people are wondering if the Cannons are on their last legs. _

"_We're not going to lie and say that Nott's departure didn't hurt us," says Chudley owner Nicholas McLeod, "But we still believe that the Cannons have some fight left in them!" _

_But fans are seeing things differently. Many Chudley fans (Mockingly referred to as "Cannon Fodder) believe that Nott's replacement as Keeper has driven the final nail into their team's coffin. _

"_It's not all that idiot McLaggen's fault." raves Quidditch commentator Lee Jordan. "If Jones, Baer and McArthur wouldn't fumble the Quaffle so many times and if Parks and Lester kept those bludgers away from Flint then he may actually be able to find the Snitch!" _

_But the facts remain: McLaggen couldn't keep a kid out of a cookie jar and Flint couldn't find the Snitch if it was flashing colors and the size of a hippogriff. It seems that the Chudley cannons have fired their last victory shot in England_

_Ginny Potter is a retired Seeker for the Hollyhead Harpies where she earned the nickname "Eagle Eyes." She now works as the chief Quidditch correspondent for the Daily Prophet _

"Bit harsh, isn't it?"

Ginny jumped about a foot in the air and dove for her wand before she realized who was talking.

"Harry Potter! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she said as she turned to face her husband who stood chuckling in the doorway, hair still powdered with fresh snow from the storm raging outside.

"What's the matter? Seeker senses not as sharp as they used to be?" Thirty eight year old Harry Potter said as he pulled his wife into a warm embrace and kissed her firmly on the lips. "Old Eagle Eyes losing her touch?"

Ginny chuckled as her eyes wandered to a picture of the 2008 Hollyhead Harpies holding the League trophy over their heads, showering a much younger Ginny with sports drinks.

"Well a desk job can do that to you." she said poking her husband in the chest. "We can't all hunt Dark wizards, can we?"

"No, I suppose that some of us just get older quick…" Harry was cut off as Ginny tripped his legs up and tackled him to the couch, causing it to tip over sending Ginny on top of Harry.

"Take that back!" she yelled, half-heartedly pummeling her husband's chest, trying to look stern but laughing at the same time. Harry grabbed Ginny around her waist and pinned her to the rug in front of the fire.

"No, I don't think I will Mrs. Potter." Harry said, smirking at the red haired love of his life as she feigned a pout.

"Hmm, then perhaps I can…persuade you to change your mind?" Ginny purred in Harry's ear.

"P-persuade?" Harry coughed nervously.

Ginny giggled in triumph. "Why not? Ron and Hermione are bringing the kids home from King's Cross and the train doesn't come in for another half an hour so we have all…the time…in the world." She murmured, punctuating each phrase with a kiss.

Harry gulped. He may have vanquished the greatest Dark wizard to have ever lived and put half of his Death Eater cronies in Azkaban but for some reason Ginevera Potter always managed to make him nervous with the slightest effort.

"Err…well…" Harry murmured but before he could say more Ginny rolled her eyes and pressed her lips against his again, this time holding him there for a snog worthy of their teenage years.

"Ooh, you are an evil woman…" Harry whispered as he pulled back for air. Heart beating fast, he swiftly undid the top three buttons of her blouse and…

"MUM! DAD! WE'RE HOOOOOOOOME!!!!"

Swearing fluently, Harry leapt off of his wife as a twelve year old girl with her mother's red hair flounced in the room tailed by two dark haired boys who were heatedly arguing.

"LILY!" Ginny said surprised, furiously buttoning up her blouse. "Err…you're here early; I thought you were coming by Floo…."

"We Side-Along Apparated with Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione." She said with the look of innocence

"Lovely…" Ginny muttered

Meanwhile, Harry busied himself with his sons who were in the middle of a fierce quarrel.

"I told you she was bad news but did you listen? No…You thought you knew better than me…" Fifteen year old James Potter reprimanded his younger brother.

"Oh, just give it a rest, James! How could I have known she would have done that?" Fourteen year old Albus Potter whined, clearly upset

"Well you could have listened to me…"

"Shut up!"

"Boys, boys!" Harry intervened as Albus shot murderous glances at his brother. "Now…one of you tell me what happened."

"Well…" Albus began

"This girl Al had been seeing went and snogged a sixth year Ravenclaw!"

Harry flung his arm up to catch Al as he launched himself at James.

"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT YOUR BLOODY…"

"ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER!" Ginny interrupted in a startling imitation of her own mother.

Albus looked like he was going to say something but words failed him after several attempts and ran upstairs to his room.

Harry shared a look with Ginny and headed upstairs after his son.

"Can't you lay off him for ten seconds, James?" Ginny snapped turning on her eldest now

"What?! It wasn't my fault! Every bloke knows that Emily Brown is Hogwarts' biggest slu…"

"Utter one more syllable and I'll jinx your lips shut." Ginny warned curtly

James gulped and nodded.

The back door opened again and Ginny looked up to see Ron and Hermione enter the room followed by her niece and nephew; fourteen year old Rose and Twelve year old Hugo.

"Are they done?" Ron asked taking his coat off as his kids went to greet their favorite aunt. "I swear they were tearing each other apart at the station."

"I had to take their wands away because Al was about to curse James!" Hermione said, producing a twelve inch holly with unicorn hair and a sixteen inch ash with dragon heartstring out of her coat.

"I don't know why you had to take mine, though." James said, reaching for the ash wand only to have his hand smacked down by his mother.

"Because if you are your father's son you would have jinxed him back." Hermione said with a shake of her head, waving her still bushy hair.

"And if you're your mother's son, it would have been a nasty little bugger of a hex, too." Ron chimed in.

The whole room burst into laughter as Ginny blushed and even Hermione struggled to maintain a serious face.

"Ronald, that's not funny!" Hermione said turning to the kids, taking this moment to make a Public Service Announcement while handing James his wand back. "You should _never _jinx, curse, hex or otherwise magically enchant a fellow student unless _absolutely _necessary…"

"Or it's _really_ entertaining."

The whole room burst into laughter and Hermione turned to smack Ron only to realize that he hadn't said anything. The back door was open again and standing in the doorway was a young man with shoulder length shaggy pink hair accompanied a very beautiful red haired young witch.

"Teddy! Victorie!" Rose exclaimed as the new arrivals made their way into the living room. Teddy shook his head to clear the snow from it and as he did, it changed color from shocking pink to a dark brown as Victorie freed her flowing tresses from the confines of her ponytail.

"What's this I hear about cursing someone?" Teddy said, after greeting everyone in the room.

"Albus wants to curse James for saying he wants to curse some Hufflepuff…" Hugo started

"Ravenclaw." James corrected

"Some _Ravenclaw _bloke for snogging his girl and now he's upstairs in his room." He finished.

"Does he happen to know any good jinxes?" Teddy asked, raising an eyebrow which had refused to change from pink to brown as he looked upstairs.

"Not many. He still thinks the Toenail Hex is a cool one…" James supplied.

"But that's hardly the point…" Hermione began

Teddy rolled his eyes. "Well, we can't have him jinxing people without being properly armed, now can we?" and before anyone could stop him he crossed the room and ran up the stairs.

Hermione looked at Ginny incredulously. "Are you just going to let him teach your son how to hex someone?"

Ginny just shrugged. "Well if he's going to get a detention for hexing somebody then it may as well be a good one…"

Hermione rolled her eyes as the kids, and Ron, burst into another round of laughter.

Ron wiped his eyes and looked upstairs after Ted. "You know something? That kid really does service to their memory…" he said wistfully.

Hermione nodded gravely. "Tonks and Remus were great people…"

"I think he reminds me more of Fred than Remus…" Ron said. "No wonder George offered him that job at the joke shop. He's a natural."

"Yes but he's got a more serious side that being an Auror really nurtures." Hermione said as James and Lilly ran up to their rooms, dragging their cousins along with them. "Ron said that he's really taking this job by the horns."

"He does enjoy it." Victorie said from her spot in an overstuffed armchair. "Though…did you know his parents well?" she said, suddenly addressing Ginny and Hermione.

"Oh…well…yeah…" Ginny said lamely. "Why do you ask?"

"I ask mum and dad about them and I can't get a straight answer out of them. Teddy is always wondering…what would they think of him were they alive today?

"I guess that's the question on everybody who never knew their parents' mind." Ginny said thoughtfully. "Harry still sits up at night wondering the same thing. I'll wake up to go to the bathroom and I'll see him sitting downstairs staring into the fire…"

Ginny abruptly stopped as Harry and Teddy walked Albus back downstairs. "Now if you can hit him in the shoulder he should get some spin off of him…" Teddy was explaining as Albus laughed as if he was never upset.

After Ted and Harry ran off to help with dinner, the five cousins were left in the living room. Lily and Hugo were wrapped up in a game of chess, Rose was pouring over a Potions assignment with Albus' help and James was playing with a Snitch he swiped from the last Hufflepuff game.

"So, did Teddy show you any _useful _jinxes?" James said releasing the Snitch, letting it fly a few inches away before snatching it up again.

"And why would I share that information with _you?" _Al muttered back.

"C'mon, Al." James wheedled, stashing the struggling Snitch in his pocket. "I'm your big brother! Plus every man woman and child in Slytherin hates me! I get jinxed way more than you do and…"

"Oh…fine!" Al grumbled. "Meet me in dad's study about half an hour after dessert.." James grinned and walked away as Albus called back to him. "And bring a few empty butterbeer bottles!"

"Why?" James asked.

"You'll see…" Al said with a smirk

_AN: Thanks for staying with me this far! This is my first foray into HP so feedback is greatly appreciated. R&R! _


	2. Time Tumbled

_Chapter Two: Time Tumbled _

_Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter _

_Half an hour after dessert…_

The adults had thrown themselves in a variety of chairs scattered throughout the living room. Harry and Ginny were on the couch, Ron and Hermione wrapped up in the loveseat and Teddy and Victorie were sitting with their backs to the sofa, all staring into the crackling flames.

"I saw the article you wrote about the Wanderers you wrote last week," Ron said with a grin.

"Oh yeah." Teddy smirked in recognition. Wasn't that the one you began with "_A clumsier and ill coordinated team I have never seen in all my years of playing and commentating on Quidditch?" _

"She's just a tough critic, that's all." Harry said wrapping an arm around his wife who had gone as red as her hair.

"I think she actually made that big bloke from the Hornets cry when she said…"

_BANG! _

Teddy was quickly cut off when a sudden explosion caused everyone simultaneously leap to their feet and draw their wands.

"It came from upstairs." Teddy said with a look and tone that reminded Harry of Remus.

"Kids?" Hermione called out. "Are you all right?"

Silence.

Harry nodded towards the staircase and the six spell casters calmly made their way up stairs with the three Aurors leading the way.

"Hold on, let's get some light in here." Ted said. "_Lumos Orbis!" _a ball of light erupted from the tip of his wand and hovered like a miniature sun illuminating the dark hallway.

"Where did it come from?" Victorie said, peering from around Hermione's shoulder

"Split up." Harry said. "Gin and I will take James' room," he said nodding to the nearest door. "Ron and Hermione will take Albus' and Teddy and Victorie will take Lily's. If you run into trouble…"

"Scream bloody murder?" Ted suggested.

"Yeah, that would be advisable…"

They all nodded and set off towards their respective targets with wands at the ready…

"Nothing." Teddy reported stepping back into the hall ten minutes later.

"Same on our end," Hermione added

"Us too. There's no sight of them." Ginny said beginning to get a little worried.

"Well…we haven't tried the study yet." Teddy suggested, nodding towards the end of the hall.

They crept forward with Harry and Ginny leading the way, wands extended. Ginny reached out to try the door only to find that it was locked.

"Okay, Ted, open it on three." Ted stepped forward. "One…two….three!"

_SMASH! _

The door splintered off its hinges as a powerful Bombardment hex erupted from Teddy's wand.

"TEDDY!" Ginny and Harry yelled in unison

"What? It was locked!" Teddy said

Hermione picked up the door and tapped the lock with her wand. "_Alohamora." _

"Oh…hehe…right." Teddy said sheepishly

Ginny rolled her eyes. "_Accio Light Ball!" _

The little sun flew from the hallway to come to a rest in the middle of the massive study illuminating rows and rows of books, handsome oak furniture and…

"MY ORDER OF MERLIN!!!" Harry said in dismay as he bent to examine the charred remains of what had once been a shield commemorating Voldemort's defeat.

"What happened in here?" Ron asked as he stooped to examine the remains of a few butterbeer bottles.

"Well let's…find…out!" Teddy said raising his wand "_Recuerda Simulati!" _

Several green waves radiated out of his wand tip and richocheted back and forth off the walls.

"Remind me what this is supposed to do again." Ron asked following the waves with his eyes.

"Well these waves should pick up on human presence and if they were here recent enough, we should…" Teddy began.

"_Stop!" _Rose's voice suddenly echoed as if it were stuck at the bottom of a well. "_You could be expelled!" _

"Hear an echo of what was said." Ginny finished. "Nice…:

"_If you don't like it then clear off!!" _the voice of James echoed back. "_Some of us don't like being jinxed by every Slytherin who walks down the hall! Come on Al, show us again!" _

"_Right, well you just raise your wand like so…_._and…James levitate the bottle!" _

"_I am!" _

"_You're going to drop it!" _

"_Just cast the bloody curse!" _

"_Okay fine! You just flick it forward and say _Atrum Incendio!"

Two crashes were heard. The first was the butterbeer bottle smash against the ground and the second was the spell crashing into something on the wall.

"_OH DAMN! QUICK, PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!" _James cried in panic

"_Aguamenti!" _Rose's voice said and the sound of a jet of water hissing against the crackling flames filled the room

"_That's… dad's… Order …of… Merlin!" _James choked out, hardly daring to think of the mess they were in. _"He's going to kill you!" _

"_ME?!?!" _Albus yelled in an uncharacteristically high voice._ "You were supposed to hold the bottle!" _

"_It slipped!" _

"_YOU SAID YOU HAD IT!!!!" _

"_I'm going to get your dad!" _Rosie said in panic _"He'll fix it…" _

"_Oh no you don't! If you tell on us then we'll tell everybody we caught you and a certain Malfoy kissing in the broom closet!" James said _

Ron and Hermione's eyebrows shot up simultaneously.

"_You…you wouldn't" _Rosie's voice came back.

"_You tell on us we'll tell on you, that's Gryffindor code." _Albus said

"_Okay fine but what do we do?" _Hugo said in equal panic

"_Kids?" _Hermione's voice wafted upstairs. "_Are you alright?" _

"_Oh no! They heard!" _Lily spoke for the first time. "_Quick, think of something!" _

"_Um…uh…wait." _Albus crossed the room and opened the cabinet. "_My dad keeps a stock of Time-Turners over here. We'll just go back in time and stop ourselves from breaking it in the first place!"_

"_Wait…can't we just repair it?" Lily asked hopefully_

"_What happened to not doing magic outside of school?" _James retorted. His sister fell silent.

"_Well then…maybe we should stay here…to keep our parents busy!" _Rose suggested

"_Yeah, that's a great ide…wait a tic. You just want to stay here so you can rat us out to mum and dad!" _James said accusingly._ "Oh no, you're coming with us!" _

"_Okay…fine." _Rose conceded_ "But Lily and Hugo stay here!" _

"_Okay." _Lily said in a voice that made plain that it was not okay.

"_That's fine…I guess we'll just go downstairs and have a little chat with mum and dad about your choice broom closet companions!" _Hugo threatened

"_YOU HAVE NO PROOF!!!!" _Rose screeched in panic

"_Oh contraire, my dear cousin." _Lily spoke again. "_I happen to have photographic evidence right here!" _she said and the sound of something being drawn from her robe.

"_You really should pick a more discreet location to rendezvous." _Hugo suggested.

"Hey, I found the picture!" Teddy said passing it to Ron and Hermione who promptly flushed scarlet. "Hey, I know where that broom closet is! Third floor, west wing seventh door down! Ahh…good times…"

"I think I may actually be sick…" Ron mumbled "I can't believe our little Rosie is dating that spawn of that son of a…"

"Shh!" Hermione said furiously

"_All right, fine, you can come!" _Albus said andthere was a shuffling of feet as everybody clambered to get under the chain. "_Okay so we broke it about twenty minutes ago so…twenty three to be safe." _

Albus turned the turner twenty three times and the room fell silent.

"That's…unbelievable." Ron breathed breaking the silence.

"I know…your daughter is dating that Malfoy kid!"

"TEDDY!" everybody yelled.

"Sorry…"

"Well if they went back twenty minutes ago then they would be back by now, right?" Hermione said, checking her watch as Harry checked to see which time turner they had taken.

"Well maybe they …" Ron began

"Uh-oh…" he said.

"What? What's "Uh-oh"?" Ron asked in a panic. "Uh-oh" isn't good!"

"I think they may be gone a little longer than expected…" Harry said, holding up an empty time turner case.

* * *

Albus, James, Rose, Lily and Hugo appeared out of the time stream and fell over in a snow covered field.

"What gives?" Rose said looking up at the moon. "It's not that clear, is it?"

"Storm was still raging twenty minutes ago…" James said ducking out from under the chain and looking around at the freshly packed snow. "Let's get back to the house and fix this mess before it happens again!"

James used a quick Four Pointer Spell and the five of them set off through the woods in a North Western direction.

_Twenty minutes later…_

"We're lost!" Rosie said, shivering from her lack of winter clothing. "And we're out of time! I guess you two will just have to…

"There it is!" Albus cried, pointing at a light in the distance. The kids broke off into a run, hurrying towards the source of light.

"Is it just me?" Lily panted as they hurried through the snow. "Or is it getting colder?"

It wasn't just Lily, all the Potters and the Weasleys felt a constricting cold slowly creep up on them, sucking their energy like a…

"What was that?" Hugo cried, pointing up to a ghostly black shape hovering over the moon. A dark cloaked figure hovered, backlit by an ethereal glow. Soon five more joined the first one and the six of them dove sharply towards the huddled young wizards.

"Dementors!" James cried pulling his wand out. "Scatter!"

The kids dove for the snow as wraiths swooped down upon them like overgrown bats.

"_Stupify!" _Albus cried out, but the jet of light had no effect on the ghostly figures. In fact, it just seemed to anger them further.

"That won't work! It takes a special spell!" Lily said, ducking out of the way

"What was that spell again?!" James called out rolling aside to avoid being hit. "Patrony something?"

"_Expecto Patronum!" _Rose cried out as she had seen her mother do. But instead of a graceful otter a thin mist leaked out of her wand like spilled ink.

"NO!" James cried as a Dementor bore down on him. "Expecto…expect…damn…expecto…" It was so close he could feel its freezing breath on his face as it pulled back its hood to reveal a gaping, sucking hole that bore down on James ready to…

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!" _the dementor looked up as a silver wolf charged out of the forest and smashed headlong into it, sending it flying against a tree. Several other Patronuses, a dog, a butterfly, a weasel, a lynx and finally a silver doe burst from the shade and drove the fiends that were tormenting his friends back into the night.

James collapsed against the snow as he was vaguely aware of someone running up to help him.

"HARRY!" he heard a dim voice call out. "Harry speak to me! What happened?" James struggled to open his eyes and when he succeeded a thin shabby looking wizard came into view. Behind him, three wizards and one witch were checking up on his cousins.

"Where did they…wait…you're not…his eyes are green…why are yours…" the wizard trailed off, clearly confused. The others were mumbling amongst themselves as well

"It's not them, Remus." A deep voice called from where Hugo lay

_Remus…_Why did that name sound so familiar, James sleepily wondered, feeling the strength slowly drain from his body

"What's your na…" The rest of the man's speech was drowned out as darkness finally pulled James under

_Remus…Lupin _James thought before welcoming the comforting folds of unconsciousness

_AN: Dun dun DAAAAAAA!!!!!_


	3. Surprises, Secrets and Strategy

_Chapter Three: Surprises, Secrets and Strategy _

_Disclaimer: Look we both know I am not J.K Rowling _

"Could have sworn…just like him…"

James sat up suddenly, forgetting where he was and reaching for his wand. He fell back, head throbbing with every beat of his quickly beating heart. He was lying on a small camping cot in what appeared to be a living room. All around him, his siblings and cousins tossed and turned in their sleep. James sighed as he rubbed his eyes and tried to determine where the voices were coming from.

"He looks just like Harry." A tired voice that belonged to James' rescuer said

"But his eyes aren't green!" A younger female voice chimed in. "And we _know _Harry was still at Hogwarts. McGonagall just Flooed and said he was still in his bed!"

Hogwarts.

James sat bolt upright, not caring about the pain in his head at the moment. _Still at Hogwarts…_It couldn't be…dad was still...no. Al had grabbed the Minute Turner, right? Frantically James made his way over to Albus' cot and, reaching inside his brother's jacket, pulled the time turner out. As he examined the little hourglass, he knew right away that this wasn't the Minute Turner that he had used so often to correct little mistakes. Rolling it over, he read the tiny inscription on the top in horror.

_**Annual Time Turner **_

_**One turn for every year required**_

James dropped Turner against his brother's chest and slowly backed away like it was about to turn into a snake.

"Whuzhapining…" Albus muttered sleepily waking up.

"You…bloody…fool!" James harshly whispered for rear of being overheard

"Wha…James?" Al said looking for his glasses. "What are you on about?"

James grabbed the Time Turner and brandished it top first in Albus' face. Al squinted at it for a second, then as he pulled on his glasses, his bright green eyes widened.

"Oh…no…" He gasped in horror

"You grabbed the WRONG…BLOODY…TURNER!!!!!!" James said as loudly as he could while still whispering "I swear once we get back home I'm going to…"

"Ginny." A vaguely familiar voice said as the boys froze. "Check on them and make sure they're alright."

James scrambled across the bare floor on all fours and rolled back onto the cot as the door opened casting a small beam of light to illuminate the room. James lay face down as he heard someone lightly pad up to his cot. His glasses lay by his face and reflected in their gaze he saw a girl of fourteen with flaming red hair and chocolate colored eyes. _His Eyes…_

_Ohmygodohmygodohmygod… _James silently chanted over and over as she took his pulse and moved on to Al. As she checked his vitals, Albus opened a single green eye to look at his brother but the girl caught a flicker of movement and jumped slightly.

"Ah...you're awake." :she said apprehensively reaching into her pocket "Um …I'll just…MUM!" she called over her shoulder causing everyone who was asleep to stir as well. "Oops…sorry." James slowly sat up as a middle aged witch with graying brown hair bustled into the room with five hot steaming mugs on a tray as his grandmother had done so often.

"All right there?" she asked in a maternal tone honed by raising seven children. "It's lucky Remus found you when he did; those dementors were poised to…." James subconsciously realized his mouth was open.

"Well never mind that. The point is you're all safe now." She said handing him a mug of what turned out to be hot chocolate. Rose and Hugo were slowly stirring as well, eying the new arrivals with a degree of apprehension.

"Well it's a good thing Remus got there when he did." A voice said as the witch James had seen earlier and the tired looking wizard who had saved James entered the room.

"I thought you were someone I knew." He explained looking at James with uncertainty. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced: Remus Lupin." He said stiffly.

"Uhh I'm…John. John Po…Porter." He stammered. Lupin raised an eyebrow. "The kids over there are my siblings. That's Alex, Hugh, Rachel and…um…Leslie." He said, indicating Albus, Hugo, Rose and Lily respectfully.

"Pleasure." Lupin said although his tone of voice indicated that it wasn't.

"Remus!" The pink haired witch reprimanded from her spot on the sofa. "Be polite!"

"Ah yes…sorry. This is Nympha…"

"_Remus…_" She growled dangerously

"Nymphadora Tonks," Remus pressed on "Who prefers to go by her surname."

Rose shot James a look behind Lupin's back.

"This is Molly Weasley," the older witch smiled at them, "And her daughter, Ginny."

"Hey," Ginny said

"He...Hel..." James tried several times to respond but only succeeded in making a strangled noise in his throat when he came up dry.

"So what were you doing in the middle of the woods at ten thirty at…" Remus began without preamble

"Remus!" Mrs. Weasley reprimanded. "The boy's just been attacked by a dementor! Can't this wait until morning?"

"Um…well…alright." Remus stammered, making to leave the room. "Get some sleep."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "I swear he can be so _stiff_ sometimes…" she said before bidding them all goodnight and following Remus into the kitchen

"Well, then we'll leave you alone and in the morning we'll sort this whole mess out…" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully before bustling out of the room.

Ginny made to go follow her mother before she turned to Lily suddenly. "What was your name again?"

"Uhh…Lizzie." Lily stammered

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Lizzie? Thought he said it was _Leslie." _she remarked suspiciously

"Oh, she must still be suffering from the effects of the dementors…" Albus said nervously.

Ginny looked like she was going to say something but simply nodded and turned and walked out of the room.

As soon as she was gone, James pulled his wand out from his pocket. "_Muffiato!" _he said pointing at the door.

"Okay, what the hell is going on here?" Rose said sitting up "Who…who was that girl? That man said she was…"

"Ginny Weasley." Albus said

"But that's…" Hugo began but words seemed to fail him.

"Impossible." Lily blurted out. "Mum's like thirty seven but that girl couldn't have been more than fourteen or so."

"Well there was a little snag in our time traveling plan." James said looking at his brother

Albus pulled out the time turner. "When I made to grab the Time Turner, they slipped and fell out of their slots and I just grabbed the first one I could find. I grabbed the wrong one."

"Albus…what are you saying?" Lily said with a tinge of fear creeping into her voice

"I'm saying instead of going back twenty three minutes, we went back twenty three…years."

The reaction was instant. Hugo swore loudly, grateful for the Muffling Charm in effect while Rose gasped and Lily just fell back against her cot.

"Okay, let's not panic…" James began.

"P-Panic?!" Rose stuttered hysterically. "I think it's safe to say that we're far beyond panicking at this stage of the game. Al how _could you?_"

"Okay, there will be a time and place to blame Al when we get home…" James began

"Hey!"

"For now, we're just going to have to make do."

"What's the plan?" Hugo asked.

"Lie. Lie through our teeth. We tell them anything but the truth."

"I swear Ginny...mum...agh!" Albus said, smacking his hand to his head. "I'm so confused! Is that really our mum?" he asked looking at his sister and brother for an answer.

"I think...I don't know why I know this but if that's really the wrong turner...I think that that was our mum."

Silence fell over the room as the five young wizards as they tried to process the new information.

"But why can't we just say who we are?" Lily finally broke the silence, looking at each of her brothers in turn

"Lil, by my calculations our parents are in their fifth year." Rose said. "If what everyone says is true, your mum and dad didn't get together until the end of their sixth year and my mum and dad didn't until they were _seventeen._ We can't tell them because it might mess up the time stream!"

"Forget that!" Hugo said. "How would we tell them? 'Hey guys we're your kids from the future!'"

"Exactly my point. Now here's what we're going to do…" James said, leaning forward to whisper.

* * *

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall was up late catching up on some paperwork she had to do regarding the recent trips to Hogsmeade when her fireplace suddenly flashed green. She peered over her reading glasses to see six grown wizards stumble out of the grate and onto her carpet.

"Who goes there?" she said, drawing her wand. "I must warn you I a am armed and…Potter?"

Harry stood up brushing the excess Floo Powder off his robes before helping his wife up. "Erm…good evening Professor." Harry said sheepishly

"Miss Granger? Mr. Weasley?" she said looking past Harry and Ginny

"It's actually Mrs. Weasley, Professor." Hermione said standing up

"Of course…old habits die hard I suppose…and who are these two?" she asked as Teddy and Victorie joined the other four in the center of the room

"Hey Professor!" Teddy exclaimed pulling Victorie to her feet and flashing McGonagall a wolfish grin

"Oh…I thought we were rid of you…" McGonagall muttered in dismay. "Hello Mr. Lupin, Miss Weasley." She said acknowledging Teddy and Victorie in turn. "To what do I owe this very…" she checked her watch; one thirty "Early, surprise?"

"Well, Professor…oh…you see...how do I put this?" Hermione said flustered

"Their kids smashed Harry's Order of Merlin and grabbed the wrong time turner and now they're trapped twenty three years in the past." Teddy said simply

"That…about sums it up." Ginny said wearily as McGonagall put a hand to her mouth . "We were wondering if…"

"There was any way to bring them back." McGonagall finished. "Yes the one major downfall of a time turner is that it only works in reverse. If it was yours Potter then surely you must have instruction on how to reverse it?"

"Err…well actually Kingsly just gave it to me and said if I ever had to use it, he would fill me in." Harry muttered.

"I see…well there are ways of going forward in time from the past but I'm not entirely familiar with them…"

"If I may, Minerva?"

A inky black voice pierced the silence as seven pairs of eyes turned upward to see the portrait of Professor Severus Snape awake and surveying the scene before him.

"By all means, Severus. Go right ahead."

"Thank you." Snape said before leaning back and steepling his fingers. "I happen to be familiar with the method you refer to…however it will take some time and there's no telling what kind of trouble those children could be causing." Snape muttered pering out of his frame. "If they interfere with events in the past they could have adverse affects on the present."

"Well…we could send someone back to look after them until we work out the traveling method!" Ron said. "There's got to be another one of those turners somewhere…"

"Yes but where? It's not like Annual Time Turners are ten a Knut." Hermione said, pinching the bridge of her nose and squeezing her eyes shut.

Professor McGonagall suddenly went behind her desk and started rummaging through the many drawers, sending bits of paper flying as she searched.

"Aha!" she said, producing a little gold box. "Here it is. Albus left this behind when he died." She opened the box and inside there lay an identical Time Turner to the one that the kids had used.

"Brilliant!" Harry said. "So I'll go back and…"

"That would be ill advised." Snape spoke again. "I'm afraid that scar makes you stick out like a sore thumb, Potter. The same goes for your wife and her brother who practically scream "Weasley"

"That just leaves Hermione, Teddy and Victorie." Ginny said, glaring up at Snape

"Hmm…Department of Magical Law Employee," Snape said with an air of sarcasm, indicating a glowering Hermione. "Department of Magical Sports _Intern." _("Tch!" Victorie said with a flick of her hair in a convincing impression of her mother) "Or a fully qualified Auror who can change his appearance at will." Teddy looked up. "Hmm…decisions, decisions…"

"Alright, smartarse…" Ron began.

"No Ron, he's right." Hermione said turning to Teddy. "Ted's the most qualified aside from Harry and Ron and he has the added bonuses of transformation and not existing at that time.

Teddy nodded. "Right. I'll keep an eye on them. Just have that spell ready soon. I doubt I can deceive your past selves too long without resorting to wandwork."

"You just keep yourselves safe." Victorie said gently pulling Teddy into a hug.

"I'll be fine." Teddy said rubbing her back soothingly. He pulled back, gave her a quick kiss goodbye and turned to accept the time turner.

"Now when you get back there, make sure to keep your identity hidden. Find the kids make sure they're safe and wait for our instructions. Whatever happens, _do not reveal our identity in relation to our kids." _Harry instructed, handing Teddy the Turner. Teddy nodded and with one last look at Victorie, flipped the turner twenty three times and vanished into thin air.

"Good luck." Harry said softly before turning to Snape. "Okay Severus, what do we need to do?"


	4. The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

_Chapter Four: The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men…_

_Disclaimer: Why do you continue to mock me by asking if I own Harry Potter? _

"Oh, relax Remus!" Molly Weasley said as a very drawn and pale Lupin sat at the kitchen table across from Tonks and between Ginny and Sirius, who had Apparated from headquarters as soon as Remus told him that "Harry" was in trouble.

"Come on, if they were Death Eaters they would have killed us by now!" Tonks said "And if they _were _dark wizards I would think they would be able to summon a Patronus."

"I'm wondering whether or not those dementors were actually attacking them…" Sirius said, taking a sip out of his steaming tea mug.

Tonks made a scathing noise in her throat. "I sorely doubt that dementors posses that level of manipulation, even if they were under control of Death Eaters."

Lupin shook his head. "I don't know…I still think that it's best that we move Harry, Ron and Hermione here a few days early."

"But if they are Death Eaters…" Ginny began

"All the more reason to bring them here where we can keep an eye on them." Sirius said standing up. "I'm going to Floo Dumbledore and tell him to get tem up."

"Get them up?" Mrs. Weasley echoed in indignation. "But Sirius it's one thirty in the morning! Can't it wait until..?"

"By morning your son may have his throat slashed and Harry and Hermione may be in the hands of Voldemort himself!" Sirius barked storming off towards the study and the fire place leaving Molly Weasley standing in the kitchen with her mouth agape.

"Sirius!" Lupin cried, storming after him

Ginny rolled her eyes. "He needs to get a hobby."

"He needs to get laid..." Tonks muttered dryly sending Molly and Ginny into peals of laughter.

A few minutes later Sirius and Lupin strode back into the kitchen. "Dumbledore said that they were getting up…Listen Molly I didn't…" Sirius began

"It's alright, I understand." She said wearily pouring herself a cup of tea and sitting at the head of the table. Talk drifted between various topics ranging from weather reports to recent Death Eater involvement. They were just discussing the recent Azkaban breakout when the clock on the wall suddenly chimed signaling that Ron was now traveling.

"Oh, it looks like they're here." Mrs. Weasley said as Ron's hand rested on the slot which read "Home"

"Oi! That's my foot!"

"Move, Ron!"

"Harry's stepping on my hair!"

"Oops…sorry!"

Lupin shook his head and went to sort the young wizards out of the fireplace. HE returned with an ashy Looking Harry, Ron and Hermione all dragging their luggage and still clad only in their pajamas.

"What's this all about then?" Ron asked groggily. "I mean we were just lying there, minding our own business when McGonagall bursts in yelling for us to get our stuff and go to Dumbledore's office!"

"Well go back to bed then!" Ginny said, slightly perturbed that they may have saved her brother's life and all he had done since he arrived was complaining.

"Well we're up now! So you might as well…" Ron began to snap back at his sister

"That's enough Ron! Ginny didn't have anything to do with this!"

Ron and Hermione started as a phrase that Mrs. Weasley had used so often was spoken instead by Harry.

"Err…thanks Harry." Ginny said.

"Yeah…so Sirius," Harry said quickly changing the subject "What's going on here?"

"Sorry Harry but…well something fishy is going on and I think its best that the three of you stay here where we can keep an eye on you." Sirius said, pouring three cups of hot chocolate and passing them out to Harry, Ron and Hermione

"What do you mean, "Fishy?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of the frothy chocolate

"Well…about four hours ago Remus, Tonks Arthur, Snape, Kingsly were returning from an Order mission when they saw a group of kids being attacked in the woods by dementors."

"Oh no, are they alright?" Hermione asked worried.

"They're fine but…well, have a look for yourself."

Sirius stood up and motioned for the three of them to follow him. He opened the door to the living room just a crack to reveal five figures sleeping on camp cots. Even in the dim light, Harry could make out the face of two boys of about fourteen or fifteen with messy black hair, a girl of the same age with her thick, bushy brown hair falling over her face and a younger boy and girl with flaming red hair.

"Who…are they?" Harry asked, strangely perturbed by the sight before him. It was like looking in a mirror that took his basic features and twisted them ever so slightly to make an image that was familiar and alien at the same time.

"We don't know. They say they're the Porter family but…" Ginny said looking at the younger girl. "Her "brother" said her name was Leslie but when I asked her she said it was Lizzie. I wouldn't have normally pressed the matter but there's something…strangely familiar about them."

"I see what you mean," Hermione said, turning back to the kitchen, closing the door as the others followed her. "They shouldn't have been out in the snow at this hour!" Hermione said suddenly. "I mean what were they thinking? They could have been…"

Hermione put a hand to her mouth as the others turned to face her. "Whoa…Hermione you sounded just like…like…" Ron said

"Molly." Tonks finished, looking awestruck

"I don't know why I said that…" Hermione said looking troubled. "It just sprang to my lips before I could think about it…"

Ginny bit her lip. "Well…she's got a point. They're not dressed for this weather."

"I'm sure they were just screwing around, Gin." Harry said shrugging. "I mean they're just kids…"

"Kids?!" Ron said suddenly. "They're no older than we are!"

"And when did you start calling me Gin…" Ginny said looking at Harry suspiciously

Harry stopped and shook his head. "I…I dunno. It just seemed like the right thing to say…"

Lupin stood leaning against the doorframe, looking back and forth at each of the young wizards. "Well, we'll soon know. We're going to really question them tomorrow morning. Molly insisted…"

Lupin was cut off as a bone chilling wolf howl split the night sky. Immediately they all drew their wands and looked around for the source of the sound. Suddenly the living room door swung open and the five kids burst in the room.

"What are you…" Lupin began to ask but was interrupted by Mrs. Weasley's cry of alarm.

"Look!" she was pointing outside across the countryside. A silver figure was loping over the hill at a surprising clip. As it drew nearer, it began to solidify and take the shape of a young timber wolf charging the Burrow's back door.

Lupin stepped out the back and pointed his wand at the wolf. "_Protego!" _he cried and a semi transparent shield appeared between the wolf and the door.

The wolf continued to gallop forward. "He's going to crash!" Ginny cried. But as she said this, the wolf leapt and passed through the shield like it was nothing. The wolf bounded into the kitchen and only then did Harry realize that it was a Patronus. The wolf looked at the older wizards with a look of mild disinterest and instead turned to face James.

"_Don't worry about a thing," _the wolf spoke and James' heart lept into his throat at the sound of the voice.

"Teddy!" Lily said from behind him.

"_Your parents are working with McGonagall to find a way to get you back. Stay there, I'm coming. Don't tell them anything!" _

And with that, the wolf vanished.

Lupin crossed the room and grabbed James by the front of his shirt. "Who was that?"

"Remus!" Molly said, stepping forward.

"Not now, Molly! Tell me, _who was that?" _Lupin snarled

"We're…not...Death…Eaters… James stuttered. His brother and sister looked at each other, unsure as what to do.

"Was that some kind of code? Who are these "parents" of yours?" Sirius demanded. "Is that some kind of name for Voldemort? ANSWER ME!" he bellowed.

"Hey!"

"Not now Harry…" but even as he said it, Lupin realized it wasn't Harry speaking. Slowly he turned around to see a tall young wizard with tousled black hair and dressed in a long black hooded coat aiming a long rock maple wand at his back.

"Teddy!" Lily cried again. The other wizards in the room suddenly tensed up as Teddy advanced on an flustered Lupin

"_Put...him...down..." _Teddy spoke in an icy voice.

_AN: Thanks a bunch to all you Pottheads who reviewed! I'll update ASAP but i want to touch on my His Dark Materials FF first. I'll have another up this weekend at the latest_


	5. Revelations Redux

_Chapter Five: Revelations _

"_Get…your…hands…off…of…him!" _Teddy spoke in an icy voice. "Mr. Black I have no wish to harm you so I think it would be in your best interests to _get your hand out of your pocket!" _he commanded as Sirius was sneaking his hand into his cloak to retrieve his wand.

Harry nervously shifted his eyes from Lupin to the wizard that the girl had called "Teddy" to his friends who were nervously doing the same. Finally he looked over at Ginny only to find that she had glanced over at him in the same moment.

"I'll ask you again: Put him down." Teddy said, somewhat calmer. Reluctantly Lupin released his hold on James' collar allowing him to fall to the floor.

"Thank you. Alright there kids?" he asked looking over at the kids who gave him a half hearted thumbs up. "Good."

"What do you think you're playing at, huh?" Ron spoke, causing Teddy's eyes to shift to his. "Even if you manage to stun Lupin, one Death Eater is no match for all of us!"

"Death…Eater?" Teddy said in the same icy tone he had addressed Lupin in. Ron quailed under his gaze. "You think we're…Death Eaters?"

Then Teddy did something that surprised everyone there; he laughed. It was not a cold cackle that one would expect of a servant of Voldemort but a laugh of genuine amusement.

"That…was what _this _is all about?" he asked, grinning. "I can understand me but the _kids?_" Teddy chuckled. "Do they look like Death Eaters to you?"

"Well…no" Lupin said lamely. "But they could be using a Polyjuice Potion or…" he trailed off knowing that the effects of the potion would have worn off by now.

"Did you miss the part about McGonagall then?" Teddy said lowering his wand.

Suddenly several things happened at once. As soon as Teddy had lowered his wand, Sirius, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all dove into their pockets for their own weapons.

Sirius was the first to act. "_Stupefy!" _

"_Reflega!" _Teddy said sending the jet of red light bouncing back at Sirius.

"SIRIUS!" Harry cried and with a savage war cry lunged like an expert fencer at Teddy and began to duel him.

"_Serpensortia!" _Harry cried firing a poisonous Asp out of the tip of his wand at Lupin who lazily flicked his own wand at it and turned it into a rubber hose.

"_Impedimantia!" _Ron said jumping up beside Harry and joining the fight.

"_Aeroga!" _The spell veered off course as a strong gust of wind blew through the kitchen. "What're you…"

"_Petrificus…" _Hermione began

"_Felix Impingo!" _Four jets of punk light exploded out of Teddy's wand, hitting each of them in the chest sending them reeling back across the kitchen. Harry looked up to see Teddy holding four wands in his left hand and the maple wand aimed at his chest.

"I asked you not to do that…" Teddy said pocketing the spare wands. "But since you just had to be _so _difficult, I think I'll hang on to these."

Despite the unfortunate turn of events, Harry was smiling

"And what, might I ask, is so damn funny?" Teddy said skeptically

"You forgot someone."

"Forgot…what d'you..?"

"_Stupify!" _

Teddy fell forward across the kitchen table as a jet of red light exploded from behind him and smashed into his chest. Lily screamed as Teddy slipped off the table and rolled over to where a young witch was standing with her wand drawn.

"Tonks!" Harry cried in relief.

"Where were you?" Ron asked, fishing his wand out of Teddy's pocket

"Went off to get some air when I heard raised voices." Tonks said moving Teddy onto the table, causing Mrs. Weasley to squirm a little. "Alright?" Harry nodded.

"Well done," Lupin said, standing up to take a better look at the unconscious wizard. "What do you think we should do?"

James watched the situation rapidly deteriorate while he frantically thought of a way out of the situation at hand. They were trapped in the past, their only lifeline had been stunned and their parents thought they were Death Eaters. He sized up the wizards in the room. Even at their best they couldn't take on Tonks, Remus, Sirius and Molly while still having the time to subdue their parents.

"What should we do with this lot?" Ginny asked, jerking over to where the Potter kids stood.

"Lock them in the living room until we think of a better idea." Lupin said shortly moving towards the study. "I'm going to make a call."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny marched their own children into the living room at wand point.

"Please…you have to believe us." Rose pleaded. "We're not…" but her words were promptly punctuated with the door slamming.

James pinched the bridge of his nose and flopped wearily down on the couch as the first rays of dawn pierced the night sky and illuminated the horizon. All around him his friends collapsed in similar conditions. Exhausted, James closed his eyes intending just to rest them. But the events of the night coupled with the extremely comfy chair soon lulled him into a deep peaceful sleep…

That was promptly ended an hour later.

"I thought there might be something funny about them…" Sirius said causing James to flick his eyes open. The others sat up as Sirius burst in the door wand first.

"Here they are sir." Sirius said stepping aside to let a very tall wizard in dark purple robes sweep in the room, peering over his half moon spectacles, surveying the five young wizards sitting before him.

"You're…Professor Dumbledore…" Hugo said with a mixture of awe and reverence. "But you're supposed to be…" Hugo fell silent as his cousin, James, shot him a look that could have curdled milk.

The glance was not lost on Dumbledore as he gazed intently at James. He shifted uneasily as he felt a throbbing pain in his head. He squirmed under Dumbledore's piercing gaze. Then suddenly, vivid memories passed before his eyes as if he were actually there…

_He was six years old, infected with dragon pox as his mother soothingly smoothed his perpetually messy hair. _

_Then suddenly, it was his tenth birthday. Frantically tearing the wrapping paper off the last present he flung the box lid off and revealed a brand new Firebolt 1080. HE looked up at his father who was beaming back at…_

_It was Christmas. Uncle Ron had tried to charm the ornaments so they would align themselves on the tree and Aunt Hermione was blasting them away as they soared after him. He looked over at his cousins who were doubled over in laughter…_

"_Potter, James." HE was shakily walking up to the decrepit looking sorting hat. It touched his head…"GRYFFINDOR!" Cheers and applause… _

_Then he was levitating the butterbeer bottle. The curse soared past it, completely missing it and he dropped the bottle in shock as flames engulfed his father's most prized possession…_

Suddenly the pain was gone. He opened his eyes to see everyone in the Burrow peering over Dumbledore's shoulder into the sitting room. Dumbledore looked the over once more and broke into a soft smile.

"They are not Death Eaters." He said, causing the rushing sound of everyone simultaneously letting out a huge sigh of relief.

"I would, however, like to keep them here for a few minutes…" he continued. "Bring Teddy here as well. I believe he may have a piece of the puzzle that we are missing…"

Seconds later, Tonks levitated a still unconscious Teddy over to an empty sofa. "And now, if you four would remain here as well…" he said indicating Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. "I think we can sort this all out before anyone else mistakes them for Death Eaters…"

"Erm…right…I'll just…" Lupin stammered, clearly embarrassed. He shepherded everyone out the door and, throwing one last look at Dumbledore, shut the door.

"Well then, let's begin." Dumbledore said, waking Teddy with a wave of his wand. Harry and his friends jumped back as the younger Lupin woke with a start.

"Whuzzhappining…" he mumbled looking around and reaching for his wand, finding it was gone.

"Sit down, Mr. Lupin. You've had quite a night." Dumbledore said, placing a hand on Teddy's shoulder.

"Lupin?" Ginny said in disbelief "Is he a relative of Remus then?"

"He is," Dumbledore said as Teddy opened his mouth to protest. "His son."

"S-son?" Ron spluttered. "I didn't know Lupin had a son!"

"He doesn't…" Dumbledore said, earning looks of further confusion from Harry, Ron and Hermione. "But…he will."

Silence engulfed the room. Harry looked to Teddy, hoping he might burst into laughter, contradicting Dumbledore. But he continued to look at the floor as if there was something of vital importance inscribed upon it.

"What…what do you mean, Professor?" Hermione tentatively asked.

"Well I could tell you but…I think you may find my explanation hard to swallow." Dumbledore said, producing a glass bottle from his cloak. "I think it's best if you see it for yourselves. If Mr. Lupin would be so kind as to lend us some of his memories then we could…"

"No." Teddy spoke finally

"I'm sorry?" Dumbledore said.

"We shouldn't. Forgive me Professor but you've already said too much!" Teddy said looking stricken. "If you tell them and they go ahead and bungle things up then…" he trailed off, looking at the kids sitting on the couch across from him

"Mr. Lupin your concern is touching." Dumbledore said, lightly resting a hand on his shoulder. "Indeed I believe you look upon these children as part of a family you never got the chance to know," Teddy nodded, staring off into space. "But, without these memories, it will be very hard to keep Sirius and your father from harming these children."

Teddy was silent for a while. Finally he said, "Give me my wand…"

Ginny hesitated, then produced the maple wand and tossed it over to Teddy. He touched the tip to his temple and drew a silver strand which he deposited in the bottle Dumbledore held. Several more times he drew a memory from his mind until the contents of the bottle swirled to the brim.

"Thank you. You will remain here with the children?" Teddy nodded. "Good. Now if Harry and Ron will accompany me…"

"Excuse me, but can't we go too?" Hermione asked.

"I believe that what we are about to see will have dire consequences if all of you were to go. Some things may, if I am guessing correctly, prove to be seriously disturbing to the overall timeline" Dumbledore finished, tipping the contents of the bottle into an empty fruit bowl and letting them swirl.

"Where are we going, Professor?" Ron asked having never seen a Pensive before.

"We are about to take a journey into Theodore Remus Lupin's past and _your_ future…"


	6. Teddy's Tales Redux

_Chapter Six: Teddy's Tales _

_AN: Hey I decided to re-write this chapter because I kinda painted myself into a corner with the other one. The story changes ever so slightly…_

Harry fought the urge to be sick as he felt the room swirl and shift around him. Colors eddied and churned as he fell back farther and farther into the past…or was it the future? How could anyone travel this far back in time? And if he was indeed from the future, what connection did he have with himself and Ron?

A sudden stop brought Harry from his thoughts and onto solid earth. Rubbing his head, he looked over to see Ron in a crumpled heap and Dumbledore passively surveying the area.

"Where are we, professor?" Ron asked, shakily standing up.

"Wait a minute…I've been here before…" Harry said.

And indeed they were standing in what appeared to be a waiting room in St. Mugno's. Dusty, moth-eaten old armchairs lined the wall and several racks of magazines stood collecting dust in the corner.

"Ah, I believe we have found Mr. Lupin…" Dumbledore said mildly.

In the corner of the room, an elderly witch was sitting in an armchair, reading to a seven year old boy with shockingly violet hair.

"That's Ted?" Ron asked

"A younger version, yes." Dumbledore explained patiently

"Bit young to be dying his…" Harry began to say but was promptly interrupted when the door behind him burst open. A heavily scarred young man with a black ponytail burst in followed by none other than Fleur Delacour, carrying a girl around Teddy's age in her arms.

"Blimey…" Ron breathed as he circled in front of the man to get a better look at him. "It's Bill…"

"Bill? Like your brother Bill?" Harry asked incredulously, studying the deep scars that pockmarked the once familiar face.

"How is she?" Bill asked the woman who had stood up to greet him. "Is she alright? We would have been here sooner if Fleur…"

"A-HEM!"

"Err…if _we _had got up on time." Bill amended sheepishly.

"Bill got married to Fleur?!" Ron breathed in disbelief.

"Looks like they've been busy too…" Harry said, indicating the girl who had gone to play with Teddy.

"She's fine Bill." The woman said gently. "She went into labor about two hours ago. Harry said…"

_BANG _

The door slammed open and Ron stared in amazement as an older version of himself burst in the door, dressed in a bathrobe and slippers.

"How is she? IS she…"

"Alright." Bill filled in. "She went into labor about two hours ago. Nice jammies by the way." Bill sniggered, indicating the fuzzy pink slippers by mistake. "I thought I gave those to your _wife _last Christmas."

"Oh stuff it; I grabbed the wrong ones by mistake." Ron growled, flopping into an armchair.

"Where is she anyway?" Bill asked, looking behind his brother.

"Come on, let's have a name already!" Harry looked over to see Ron anxiously biting his nails.

"Wondering who you'll end up with?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, aren't you?"

To tell the truth, Harry was slightly curious as to the identity of the mystery woman who was, apparently, bearing his child. Harry rifled through a list of possible candidates in his head but dismissed them as quickly as they came. None of the children back at the Burrow looked anything like any of the girls Harry thought of (Namely a certain Revenclaw Seeker)

"Getting properly dressed, I expect. Count on-"

_SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!! _

"Agh! What the hell was that?" Ron said, clutching his ears as the sound died off.

"-to show up looking decent." The older Ron finished

"Professor, what was that?" Harry asked, head still ringing

"If I were to guess, I would say that Mr. Lupin has modified this memory to omit any information that would prove to be…unsettling. The unsettling noises prevents any vital information from being disclosed. Very clever..."

"I never took-" _SCREECH! _"-for being the type to get dolled up for anything. Bill said

"Yeah well, that's-" _SCREECH! "_-for ya. You think you can peg her down as being this or that and then she'll completely surprise you."

Over the next half an hour, various people burst in, inquiring on the condition of Harry's wife (Who also had her name omitted by loud screeching noises). Friends Harry recognized from school or various Weasleys traipsed in the door in a steady stream until the room was full to bursting.

"Kill me Harry…" Ron moaned after the five hundredth SCREECH.

"Sorry, mate. You're on your own." Harry said, trying to bash his head on the wall.

Suddenly everyone in the room screeched simultaneously as the doors opened, revealing a figure in a rain soaked traveling cloak.

"Finally!" Future Ron said, going to greet the stranger. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd come-" _SCREECH! _

"Sorry. Hestia called with some business about fraudulent bank accounts or something like that." The woman made to lower her hood.

"Finally!" Ron exclaimed. "We'll see who this…what?"

The woman had lowered her hood but in place of a face, a mask, much like those worn by Greek actors, covered her entire head.

"Ah…he's better than I thought…" Dumbledore mused. "It appears he has altered their appearance as well."

"Smartarse…" Ron growled

The scene progressed, the masked figure taking a seat next to Ron, as more and more people showed up. Harry and Ron walked around the room, people watching, to pass the time. Apparently the old woman was named Andromeda and, from what Harry could gather, was Teddy's grandmother.

"Teddy's parents would have loved to have seen this." Andromeda whispered quietly to Fleur as their children played nearby. "It seems just yesterday that…"

"It's a boy!"

Everyone looked round to see a very tired but thoroughly happy looking Harry burst in from the main part of the hospital. There were cheers, pats on the back and the uncorking of champagne bottles being summoned from out of nowhere. Ron and his wife ran to embrace Harry as he took a glass in his hand.

"To James Potter; a great wizard in the making!" Harry raised his glass in a toast as the scene dissipated…

* * *

The scene had changed to platform nine and three quarters. Looking around, Harry saw Teddy talking to an older Harry away from his grandmother and Harry's wife

"It seems that Mr. Lupin has saved us the trouble of going through the same scene again…here we are, a few years later I think."

.James appeared to be about four and he was joined by another child who was a little younger. Harry's doubts about "his" children were dissuaded at the sight of the second child who, if it were even possible, looked more like Harry that James did.

"I believe that that would be little Albus." Dumbledore said mistily. "I'm rather touched Harry…"

Harry shifted uncomfortably as he turned to see his older self walking back with Teddy, who was stuffing a bit of parchment into his pocket.

"What's that?" Harry's wife asked from behind the mask that shrouded her features.

"Oh, just a bit of old parchment for the ride over." The older Harry said evasively, winking at the older Ron and his family who were coming up behind. A little girl toddled beside her mother, holding her hand and staring at the scarlet train in awe.

"Bit of old parchment?" Ron's wife asked suspiciously. "That wouldn't happen to be…"

"My God, look at the time!" Harry said. "Now remember what I told you, Teddy…"

"Don't peeve Peeves, don't duel anyone until I learn how, never get caught jinxing anyone and always _always _curse the Slytherins."

"Harry!" Ron's wife said reproachfully.

"Oh lighten up-" _SCHREECH "_How much trouble can he cause?"

"We _are _talking about Lupin and Dora's son here." Andromeda said with a smile. "There's no telling what he'll get into."

Teddy smiled and bounded up the steps and onto the train. He waved goodbye and as the train started pulling away…

"Teddy!" a small voice came running through Harry and Ron's ghostly forms. A girl of about ten with strawberry blonde hair chased after the train, waving goodbye to Teddy who was moving through the cars yelling something out the window to the girl until the train rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight.

* * *

The scene changed again and Harry and Ron stood facing a much older Teddy who appeared to be snogging the girl from before.

Teddy managed to sneak in words between each kiss. "It's only," Kiss "nine," Kiss "Months." Kiss "Victoire." Kiss

"I know," Victoire pulled back. "But Hogwarts is so boring without you…"

"_Work_ is boring. I never realized how much fun school was until I had to fill paperwork out about reported Ex-Death Eaters and their suspicious..." Teddy was cut off as Victoire pulled him in for another kiss.

"Hey, what going on here?" Teddy pulled back to look at a second year James who was looking at the two as if he had just been handed the winning lottery numbers.

"Listen…" Teddy said, sounding nervous. "You tell anyone about this and I'll…"

"Go away you silly little thing!" Victoire shooed from Teddy's side. "I'm not going to see my _boyfriend _for nine months and I have a bit of last minute snogging to do!"

Teddy stood mouth agape as James disappeared through the mist. "Why did you tell him that?!?!" Teddy said in an unusually high voice for someone his age. "He's going to tell…"

"Oh, so what if he does?" Victoire said with a toss of her head. "We've been seeing each other for almost a year now and nobody knows it but us! So what if people find out?"

"So what? Your parents will crucify me and that'll be then end of us." Teddy said glumly, his hair turning a mousy grey.

"He's a Metamorphagus!" Ron exclaimed from Harry's side. "I knew he was too young to die his hair like that!"

"Ron, I was the one who told you tha…"

"Shh!" Ron said.

Victoire took Teddy's hand gently. "I think you're over reacting…"

"No I'm not. What parents want their only daughter to date an orphaned half-werewolf?" Teddy said dejectedly.

"I don't give a damn what my parents think and neither should you!" Teddy looked up to see Victoire fixing him with a hard look. "If your mum could get her parents to accept her being with a full werewolf then this should be half as easy!" Teddy allowed himself a reluctant laugh and the tips of his hair turned blue.

"Hey there, Weasley!" a voice called from over Victoire's shoulder. A group of seventh year boys strode through the mist led by a very tall redhead.

"Oh, merde, it's Colin." Victoire groaned, not daring to turn around.

"Who?" Teddy asked.

The boy named Colin slipped an arm around a revolted looking Victoire's shoulder. "You know that blouse is very becoming on you. Of course if I were on you I would be…" his feeble pickup line was cut short as he caught sight of Teddy, who had changed his hair to a long black mane and his eyes into a shocking color of blue.

"Lupin?" Colin said uneasily. "I thought you had left…"

"I have, _Goldstein._" Teddy said with a ghost of a smile. "I just came to see my girlfriend off." Removing Colin's arm and replacing it with his own.

"Interesting," Colin said, regaining his former demeanor. "I never thought she was your type, Lupin. I always thought you'd end up with a nice _Labrador _or something." Several of the boys behind him snickered

Teddy smiled an evil smile. "I forgot how _funny _you were Colin. But unlike me, Victoire doesn't find you all that amusing. So next time I hear tell that you upset _mon amor_ in any _way, shape or form_ I might just have to nip up to Hogwarts for old times sake."

"Are you threatening me?" Colin said, stepping forward only to cower back as Teddy did the same.

"All I'm saying is the moon is full in seven days…"

Colin gulped, several of the boys behind him shifted uneasily. "But you're not…only half…never before…" he muttered incoherently.

Teddy let out a bark of laughter. "No you're right; I've never transformed. On the other hand, there's a first time for everything. I swear, the last moon cycle had me feeling unusually ravenous…"

Colin gulped, making some excuse about his luggage, and vanished into the steam.

"I do love you. You know that right?" Victoire said, pulling her into a hug.

"I do." He mumbled into his shoulder. They slipped each other one last kiss as the train whistle blew….

The scene changed for the last time and Harry and Ron found themselves in Dumbledore's office. Only instead of Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall sat on the edge of her desk, facing a very worried Harry, Ron and their respective spouses. Teddy and Victoire hung back, surveying the scene as their future selves explained what had happened. Their kids had taken the wrong Time Turner and ended up twenty three years in the past. They watched as professor McGonagall handed Teddy the same turner and as Teddy vanished, Harry and Ron found themselves back at the Burrow.

"Well?" Lupin stepped forward, helping Harry up. "What happened? What did you see?"

Harry's eyes swept over the kids…_his _kids and then his eyes met Teddy who looked at him with the same gaze as Victoire gave him before leaving for Hogwarts. It was a gaze that said, very clearly, _See. I told you so. _

"You might want to sit down." Harry said, rubbing his temple. "You're not going to believe half of what I'm about to tell you…

_AN: OKAY so many of you are wondering why I switched chapters. Like a said before, I painted myself into a corner story-wise. This plot line leaves much more to work with cause the characters can get all angsty and emo and there's gonna be explosions and dragons and unicorns with fire breathing…um…never mind. _

_Just R&R…please. _


	7. De Marti Vostro

_Chapter Seven: De Marti Vostro (About Your Mother) _

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "One more time…I'm still trying to wrap my head around this."

Harry sighed. "Look, I just told you what I saw. This guy Teddy is…"

"My son…my son, yes I heard you." Remus said wearily looking out the window. Teddy had taken the kids outside to escape any freaking out on the parents part. This turned out to be a wise idea as Remus had dropped his coffee mug when he heard the news. Teddy was now randomly blasting bits of wood with his wand.

"So let me get this straight," Mr. Weasley said, rubbing his hands together. "Those three over there are Harry's children, right?"

"Lily, Albus and James." Harry said wearily repeating their names for the umpteenth time.

"Right and those two are Ron's; Rose and Hugo."

"Yup." Ron said, tired of being interrogated.

"With who?"

Everyone looked round to where Hermione and Ginny were standing against the counter.

"Who were you guys married to?" Ginny asked quietly

"That was the weird thing. Teddy modified his memory so that we couldn't see their faces or hear their names." Ron said, rubbing his ears. "They wore masks and there was this loud screeching sound any time someone said their names." Ginny nodded, staring into her coffee silently.

"Well is that it or do you want to know what color shoes they were wearing?" Ron asked irritably. "We've been at it for at least an hour!"

"Don't take that tone with me, Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley began to shout.

"No, no he's right." Dumbledore said, coming into the kitchen from the living room. "I just flooed Minerva and Severus; they should be here momentarily. You two may leave." He said, directing the last comment at Harry and Ron who quickly left the kitchen tailed by Ginny and Hermione.

"Now then," Dumbledore continued as they rounded the bend and headed upstairs. "The circumstances are irregular but if I guess correctly, Minerva should be on top of things. In the mean time, here's what we're going to do…"

* * *

"So you couldn't see anything?" Hermione asked, pacing Ron's attic bedroom.

"No, no, for the millionth time NO!" Harry yelled, exasperated.

"Don't you start on her!" Ron reprimanded. "None of this is her fault!"

"You're right…" Harry said, laying back on his cot. "I'm sorry…"

"That's alright…you did catch Teddy's mum's name, right?"

"Yeah, her name was Darla." Ron said

"No, I thought it was Deena…" Harry said, sitting up.

"Yeah, right. Deena."

"Any idea who that could be?" Ginny asked.

"None." Harry said wearily

Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully. She cast a look over her shoulder, out the window where a heated snowball fight had broken out. Finally she stood up and walked towards the door, motioning for Ginny to follow.

"Where'you-" Ron began to ask.

"Stay where you are. Ginny and I are going to get a few questions answered." Hermione said crisply as her bushy brown locks disappeared from view.

* * *

"Ouch!"

"That's my foot!"

"Sorry…"

"Shh!"

Two pairs of footprints magically appeared in the snow outside the Burrow and set off in the direction of a snow covered log where six time tumbled wizards sat destroying minute parts of the landscape.

"Don't move…" Hermione whispered to Ginny as the two of them huddled under Harry's invisibility cloak.

"D'ya thing Harry's going to notice his cloak missing?" Ginny breathed softly.

"Course not," Hermione assured her as they approached the log. "We'll have it back before he knows it. Now shh!" They crept up behind the log as quietly as they could and, pressing their backs to the ancient wood, listened in on the conversation in progress.

"So dad knows, but mom doesn't." Albus surmised, carelessly levitating another rock.

"Yeah, and we're going to keep it that way." James said, destroying Albus' rock with a well placed Reductor hex

"So not a single word about You Know Whom being our You Know Whats. And not _that _You Know Who!" Teddy said, taking note of their confused expressions. "I mean the future Mrs. Potter, Lupin and Weasley! If they find out and pull the "I'm-not-going-to-do-it-because-I'm-in-charge-of-my-own-destiny-and-no-alledged-children-are-going-to-change-my-feirce-sense-of-independence-and-free-will" clichéd plot device then all of us are as good as dead! Well…nonexistent anyway…"

"Right, not a word!" Lily said brightly

"Can we give them a hint?" Rose asked. "What harm could they do with just a teeny tiny clue? I think my mum suspects som…"

"_Expelliarmus" _Teddy suddenly bellowed, spinning around and aiming his wand at where Ginny and Hermione crouched, mouths agape. _How did he kno…_

Their thoughts were interrupted as their wands darted out from their pockets and their bodies lifted and flung across the snowy field. Hermione heard someone squeal as she skipped like a stone and landed in a snow bank a few meters away from Ginny. She pulled her head out in time to see Ted bearing down upon them, wand drawn.

"Show yourselves you ruddy…oh…" He trailed off as he saw who it was. "I see…I thought…erm..well…what were you doing spying on us anyway!" Teddy said, finally regaining composure as the kids rushed up behind him.

Brushing the snow from her eyes, Ginny glowered up at Teddy. "Well you didn't have to fling us halfway across the bloody yard! You could have just asked us!"

"Stop stalling and answer the effing question!" James retorted, now gripping his own wand.

"Well if you _must _know…" Hermione began

"We must." Hugo added in

"We were just wondering why you were being so dodgy about the whole mum thing." Ginny snapped. "It seems like something you're especially concerned about. Normally stuff like this is free info."

"Well for your information," Teddy said in a tone he would not have normally taken with his godmother. "That whole mum_ thing _is an essential part of the whole space time continuum _thing_. If I know y…their mums, they're not going to take kindly to someone telling them how their lives are supposed to be." Teddy finished with a tone of finality.

"But surely a little hint wouldn't hurt…" Hermione wheedled, changing tactics a little. "What harm could we do? Just tell us a teensy tiny little detail about them and we'll…"

"Fine!" Teddy cried, flinging his arms up in disgust. "Harry's wife played pro Seeker for the Harpies and now writes for the Prophet's sports section! Meanwhile Ron's wife went into magical law in the hopes of doing some good in the world! There! Happy now?"

Hermione and Ginny recoiled slightly as though Teddy had just slapped them. Ginny struggled to make words appear out of her mouth but found herself dumbstruck by the revelation.

_Seeker…_

"Sorry to have bothered you…" Hermione said in an unusually thick voice before turning and rushing back to the Burrow, Invisibility Cloak forgotten in the snow. Ginny took one last look at Teddy who, Ginny thought, looked a little regretful. He opened his mouth to say something but his words were lost as Ginny staggered back towards the house, trying to accept that her grim future didn't include her brother's best friend…

* * *

Ginny rushed up the stairs and closed the door to her bedroom with a bang. Wandering over to the window, she looked out to see Teddy carrying the ratty old cloak back to the kids who took turns making various parts of their bodies disappear.

Ginny couldn't understand why she was so upset by the fact that she wasn't going to end up with Harry in the end. Hermione had long dismissed her feelings of "love at first sight" as childish infatuation. Sure there were other boys in the picture but somehow she hoped against all hope that maybe, just maybe…

"I don't see why you're so upset…"

Ginny turned around to see Hermione standing in the doorway, absently twirling a strand of hair and looking blankly at Ginny's wall.

"I thought you outgrew that childish infatuation. Being a bit stupid, aren't you?"

"Just stuff it Hermione! I'm not in the mood." Ginny glowered, turning back to the window.

"Not in the mood for what? Reality?" Hermione let out a high and uncharacteristically cruel laugh. "Still cling on to blind hope are we? So those other boys were just punching bags; if you couldn't unload, so to speak, on Harry then you were just going to dump his feelings on them? I think Michael would be quite perturbed…"

"I thought I told you to stuff it!" Ginny said, voice crackling as she spun to face a slightly mad looking Hermione.

"And I thought I told you to move on!" Hermione said, matching Ginny's wrath pound for pound. "But no you still harbor this girlish little crush for someone who doesn't even know you exist! He's Harry Bloody Potter! Why would he be interested in his friends little sis…"

"Well what about you, huh?" Ginny spat back, cutting Hermione's tirade off at the legs. "You heard Ted; Department of Magical LAW! Didn't you swear up and down you'd rather suck on a snarglepuff pod than be caught dead in that place?!"

"I…never…_what are you insinuating?_" Hermione finally spat out with a sneer worthy of a Malfoy

Ginny smiled a watery, mirthless smile. "I'm not insinuating anything. I see the way you look at him. Oh don't deny it!" Ginny said for Hermione looked as if she were about to do just that. "Since you were twelve you've been practically throwing yourself at him! Always doing his homework, "forgetting" to do your own so you could be around him, secretly spitting venom at any girl that comes within hexing distance! You fancy my brother…"

"Shut up…" Hermione said in a low quiet voice.

"You've got as much chance as I have." Ginny pressed on as if she hadn't heard her. "Everybody knows Ron's a shallow pig."

"Shut up!" Hermione said, slightly louder

"All he cares about is if they got a nice rack or not. And you thought he'd fall for a scrawny little bookworm like you?"

_BANG_

Ginny crashed into her dresser, spilling clothes as she flew backwards. Hermione stood in the doorway, wand in hand, hair in shambles and eyes livid. In the poor light she bore an unlikely resemblance of one of the escaped Azkaban prisoners: Bellatrix Lestrange

"I…told…you…to…SHUT…YOUR…BLOODY…MOUTH!!!" She shrieked in saddened fury before turning and vanishing down the hall.

Ginny rubbed the spot where the curse hit her. Sniffling slightly, she crawled over to her bed, pulled herself up and proceeded to thoroughly soak her pillow with tears.

AN: NEXT TIME: Tonks joins the girls' pity party, Remus gets slapped, Death Eaters break out and ALL F$ING HELL BREAKS LOOSE!!!

Stay tuned! ME no own nada!


	8. De Parte Vostro

_Chapter Eight _

_De Parte Vostro(About Your Father) _

_Disclaimer: If you really believe in magic, a disclaimer will appear saying that I do not own Harry Potter _

"…not a child, Remus! I can handle the truth!"

Teddy stopped in the hallway on his way to return the fallen invisibility cloak when the raised voices caught his ear. He paused outside the door and realized, with a start, that his own mother was fixing his father with a hard and somewhat hurt look. Throwing the cloak over his body, he gently slipped in through the open door.

"Not here…let's not…" Remus was looking down, up, at the wall or at the window; anything to avoid Tonks' furious gaze.

"No, Remus, _let's." _ The last word cracked like an icy whip through the air and Remus flinched slightly from the force she was emanating. Teddy slipped into the corner and watched as his mother's hair flashed from scarlet, to green before finally settling on a mousy brown, flecked with grey strands. To anyone else, it would have seemed as though Tonks was simply making use of her Metamorphagus abilities to add flair to her argument, but Teddy knew better, being a Matamorphagus himself. Teddy had mastered most of his powers but they still ran away from him when he was especially emotional as Tonks was now.

"Listen, Nym-"

"_Don't call me that!" _Tonks demanded heatedly

"Fine, _Tonks, _I don't see why-" Remus was mumbling, looking at the floorboards as if the answer to his destiny lay hidden beneath them.

"You don't see?! YOU DON'T SEE?!?!!" Tonks was now practically sobbing "He's your son, Remus! Your _son!" _Tonks' hair was going mental. "All this time you've been saying that you're too _dangerous _that you're a bloody _outcast _that you're too _OLD FOR A FAMILY!!! _And then you up and knock up some two bit hussy without once giving a tinker's cuss about someone who really cares about you!_" _

Teddy tried not to breath, thankful that the normal Weasley commotion below was covering the short breaths he dared to embezzle from the air. He had heard all his life how his father had pushed his mother away because he was worried about her safety. IT had seemed so noble when Harry told it but seeing it with his own two eyes made it seem downright cowardly. He wanted to throw the cloak off with a flourish revealing his abilities and finally proclaiming his true parentage. But fear rooted him to the spot where he stood. Fear that he would somehow screw up the space time continuum and blink himself or someone else out of existence.

"I don't know how it could have…I swore I'd never…how could I…" Remus was babbling incoherently now, still refusing to meet Tonks' eyes.

"Remus look at me…._look at me!" _

Remus looked up to see Tonks' tear streamed face half glaring, half grimacing with sadness. The image of her pained expression pained Remus more than anything he had experienced. HE would have taken a week of full moons and the hellish transformations they brought than cause that kind of pain again.

"You've said it once and for weeks now you've been making excuse after excuse of why it can't happen. But I've never once, _never once, _heard you deny it. So I'm asking you again, Remus and don't you dare lie to me!" Tonks' normal voice was shaking with emotion. "Tell me the truth."

"Tonks…"

"Damn it, Lupin, answer the bloody question! If your just going to duck me like the plague then I'm going to-" Whatever Tonks may have or have not done was lost as Remus suddenly lunged forward and, seizing her shaking shoulders, kissed her full on the mouth.

Teddy watched, torn between the urge to giggle like a Japanese schoolgirl because his parents were _kissing _and the urge to be sick because his _parents _were kissing. Before he could decide on a reaction, Remus broke off, pushing Tonks away with a look of horror.

"No…no…" he gasped

"Remus, please." Tonks pleaded, moving towards him to which he responded by backing away from her like she had transformed into a viper.

"I'm sorry….I…I can't…"

"Remus…"

"I shouldn't have done that…I…I have to go…"

"Remus, wait!" Tonks cried as she watched him throw the door open and slam it behind him as he fled the room. For a moment she looked after him, silently contemplating the door, before finally turning around, revealing her stricken face to where Teddy stood invisible. She bit her lip, hair turning from the brightest pink from when Remus had kissed her to a dull mousy brown flecked with grey. She was blinking very rapidly now, looking around the room, willing herself not to cry. But it was all in vain. With a huge, shuddering sob Tonks' face contorted with anguish as tears flowed freely down her cheek. She threw herself into the window seat and now cried with earnest, sobs racking her thin shoulders, chest heaving.

Teddy wanted to reach out to her, to hold her. His own mother was crying her heart out and Teddy couldn't do anything about it. Edging his way to the door, he left the heartbroken Tonks to soak Molly Weasley's throw pillows with tears of unrequited love.

* * *

Half an hour later Teddy was sitting on the back porch, breathing in the night air as he watched the sky turn above him. No matter how much he tried to make sense of it, Remus' actions seemed alien to Teddy. But then again Remus and Tonks themselves were alien to him. Growing up, Teddy would often times feel cheated by the universe that claimed his parents. He would look at the other kids, even his own god-siblings, with a kind of jealousy that he knew to be unfair yet still relished like satisfying grudge that ripened like a fine wine, getting more bittersweet as the years wore on. He felt unloved at times (a thought that he knew was ridiculous for his godfather had gone out of his way to make him feel like part of the family) and he never thought he'd feel love like everyone else did; blindly and unconditionally. And then…

Teddy reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Flipping through the slots, he came to a picture he had carried with him since he was fifteen. It showed a much younger Teddy fast asleep with his arm around a sleeping girl with hair the color of strawberry lemonade. Victorie. She was helping him cram for his O.W.L.S when the massive amounts of caffeine failed them and they crashed harder than a broomstick into a Whomping Willow. Within minutes they had drifted off, arms wrapped snugly around each other as they dozed on the common room rug where their friends found them in the morning and the incriminating picture had been snapped. He wrestled the print away from his mates after an hour's chase but didn't have the heart to destroy it (though he told Vicky he did). The print offered small comfort to him during long nights filling paperwork out at the office or staking out former Death Eaters. The sight of her face, so peaceful and serene, made him feel that the universe, however cruel, had delivered this angel to him in his darkest hour. Suddenly the void caused by never knowing his parents was filled by an energetic, warm hearted redhead who seemed to bring the best out of him.

"Who's she?"

Teddy gave a start, spinning around to see Remus standing in the back door, illuminated by the kitchen light. Inside Molly was fussing over her future grandchildren and Ginny and Hermione could be seen hugging each other for some unknown reason. Ron and Harry were embroiled in an intense discussion but all of that was oblivious to Teddy who could only see the graying wizard in front of him

"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was out here." Remus said, moving to lean on the balcony beside the steps Teddy currently occupied.

"No, no it's alright." Ted said, fingering the picture absently, debating whether or not to answer him. "Her name's Victoire."

"Bill and Fleur's daughter?"

"Yeah well she's…" Teddy clapped his hand over his mouth in horror.

Remus laughed at his expression. "Relax. I won't tell them anything. Though if you ask me I don't think they'd mind too much."

Teddy sighed in relief. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

"So…what's she like?"

"Well she was my best friend growing up and…"

"That's not what I meant, Teddy."

Teddy looked up to see his father's strained face looking down at him. Somehow the look on his face told him exactly what Remus was thinking.

"Look you know I can't…"

"Right. Well I know you can't give any particulars but…maybe just a general idea of…"

"She was younger than you." Teddy broke in, carefully calculating each word to avoid revealing too much. "A lot of people thought you made an odd couple but you never seemed to mind." Remus nodded, drinking the information in hungrily. "From what Harry and others have told me she was kind, funny and wonderfully weird…"

"Was?"

Teddy fell silent. Damn his cursed carelessness!

"Did something happen to her, Teddy?" Remus asked, voice crackling slightly.

Silence again.

"Did…" The question paused on his lips as if he were afraid to voice it. "I…"

"No." Teddy said immediately, knowing what the question was going to be. "No, you loved her…more than anything. You sacrificed your own happiness for hers." He said softly

Instantly Remus' features hardened. "Who? Who did it? Maybe…maybe there's something we can still do to…"

"No…" Teddy said, shaking his head sadly. "No we can't."

"But, Teddy! If you know who did it then maybe we could…"

"We can't!" Teddy said, standing up to face his father. "Don't you see? Things happen because they _have_ to happen! Time is such a delicate balance of so many things! If you disturb one there's no telling what'll happen to the rest! History could change just because an ant was killed that should have lived!" Teddy sighed, slouching back down. "I'm sorry; there's nothing we can do."

Remus pondered his future son's words. "Well…alright then."

The two Lupins sat in a comfortable silence, watching the half-moon and the stars turning around it.

"Another thing I wanted to ask was…" Remus began, staring at the moon.

"No…I'm not." Teddy said, reading his father's mind.

Remus smiled grimly. "Good."

Father and son resumed the peaceful silence as they watched the sky turn above them.


	9. Waltz in the Woods

_Chapter Nine: _

_Waltz in the Woods _

_Disclaimer Law of Equilibrium: JK Rowling equals Owns Harry Potter; I( do not) equal JK Rowling, therefore I( do not)Own Harry Potter_

_It's simple math…_

"Well it's a good thing that this isn't awkward, because that would _really _suck…" James said dryly.

Harry and Ron gave a nervous laugh as they once again failed to make conversation with their future offspring. They had all gathered in the living room after Molly and Arthur had gone to sleep, hoping to get a jump start on getting to know their kids but the last few words they had uttered had consisted of "So," "Yeah," "Uh-huh," and "Do you have some more butterbeer?"

"Sorry, it's just…" Harry tried to find the words to say.

"What d'you say to your future children?" Lily supplied helpfully.

"Yeah…"

"Well…what d'you want to know."

"I don't know!" Ron said, throwing his arms up in dismay. "Anything! Anything at all!"

"Your daughter likes to make out with Scorpius Malfoy…" Albus mentioned to Ron

Harry proceeded to choke on his butterbeer as Ron and Rose went bright red at the same time.

Rose aimed a swift kick at Albus from her position across from him on the sofa. "How many people are you going to tell?!" Rose cried shrilly

"Oh yeah, laugh it up!" Ron said indignantly as Harry clutched his sides with laughter. "_You're _daughter isn't dating the son of our sworn enemy."

Everyone chuckled, feeling the tension breaking and grateful that the awkward silences were coming to an end. "So…" Harry said. "What now?"

"Let's get out of this place!" James said, getting up and stretching. "We can continue this pleasant little chat outside!"

"It's nine o'clock at night!" Ron said, checking his watch.

"What's the matter; Past your bedtime?" Hugo asked smugly, getting up to follow his cousin.

"Hey I didn't raise you to talk to me like that!" Ron said, getting up to go after them. "Did I?" he asked Rose.

"For all you know, you did." Rose said cheekily before leading Harry and Ron into the kitchen where Hermione and Ginny were embracing each other.

"What's going on here?" Ron asked as they jumped back as the little group of future and present Potters emerged from the living room.

"Oh…nothing!" Ginny said faintly. "So where are you off to?"

"Going to take a walk in the woods." James said, grabbing his coat. "Get some fresh air."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Hermione asked, worriedly. "Haven't you been reading the news?"

Ron gave her a deadpan look and Hermione, with a roll of her eyes, produced a copy of the _Daily Prophet _which sported the headline:

**_Mass Azkaban Breakout!_**

_**Dementors gone! Death Eaters on the Run** _

Hermione cleared her throat and began to read out loud.

_"Te public is warned to be on the lookout for a number of confirmed Death Eaters who have escaped the island fortress of Azkaban and are now at large in Britain. "All have proven themselves dangerous," says Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt "But a few have truly gone mad within the confines of Azkaban and are considered to be the Dark Lord's most powerful henchmen." (A list of the fugitives can be found on page 8) _

Hermione skipped to the aforementioned page and read the names of the escaped prisoners.

"_The Lestranges, Antonion Dolohov, Alecto and Amycus Carrow along with at least a dozen others are considered to be some of the staunchest supporters of You-Know-Who so any encounter should be reported immediately to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (should they survive) _

Hermione folded the paper with a satisfied, _flick. _"There you have it!"

"Have what?" Hugo asked

"An ironclad reason to stay inside!" Hermione exclaimed, as though it should have been perfectly obvious.

"Hermione, you're the brainy one here." Harry said. "Can you calculate the odds of us running into Voldemort's best lieutenants in this neck of the woods?"

"I dunno; what are the odds of bumping into You-Know-Who four years in a row?" Ginny asked, arms folded.

"Look," James said, coming to his father's rescue. "We're only going to go out for a short bit. What's the worst that can happen?"

"I hate it when he says that…" Albus mumbled mournfully. "Last time he said that we ended up here…"

"Shut up!" James barked at his younger brother before turning back to face the girls. "Alright then. If it's _so _dangerous out there, then give us our wands back!"

"Oh no!" Hermione said standing up straight. "I don't think so!"

"Then come with us." Lily piped up.

"What?"

"Yeah. Take our wands with us so that way, if we need them, we can have them handy." Hugo explained

"Why do I feel like this is some kind of trap?" Ginny asked, chocolate eyes narrowing in sync with James'.

"Please," Albus said rolling his eyes. "Not this nonsense again. If we wanted to kill you then we would have done it a long time ago."

"I dunno…"

"Okay…" James said, adopting a dramatic voice. "Then we'll just wander off into the cold, hard world without even a little stick to protect us from the hundreds of things that would strike down a defenseless…"

"Alright!" Hermione said, surrendering. "Let me get my coat."

"Wait for me!" Ginny said, following Hermione to the front closet.

* * *

Half an hour later, having been delayed by the Lupins on the back porch, everyone was crunching happily through the clear winter landscape, illuminated by the pale moon. They were deep in the woods now and the light from the Burrow was dimming fast.

"So you're a Seeker?" Harry asked James who was playing with his Snitch.

"Yep, second youngest in a century thanks to you." James said, releasing the tiny golden ball before catching it again very quickly.

"_Professor _Longbottom?" Ron asked incredulously

"Yeah. _Herbology." _Rose nodded._ "_Thought that would have been obvious…"

_Snap. _

Four wands were drawn as Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny quickly looked around.

"What was that?" Ginny said, looking around for the source of the noise.

"Dunno." Hermione said, fishing the bundle of wands out from her cloak and tossing them to James.

Silence. They all stayed crouched in a circle, ready for whatever might come their way.

After almost three minutes, Ron Relaxed. "It was probably just a fox or something, Hermione. There's no need to get…"

"_Stupify!" _

Hermione screamed as the stunning spell shot from the darkness and hit Ron in the back. All around them cloaked figures Apparated, forming a tight circle, wands drawn.

"Drop your weapons!" one of the voices commanded in a slightly high pitched maniacal voice. "Drop your weapons or we'll drain the lot of you!" Nine wands dropped to the snow in surrender.

"My God, Bella!" one of the other figures muttered. "It's Harry Bloody Potter!"

The first figure advanced on Albus and drew her mask off in a cloud of dark smoke, revealing a slightly deranged looking woman with dark black hair and heavily hooded eyes.

"You're…you're Bellatrix Lestrange." Albus breathed in horror

Bellatrix giggled like satanic schoolgirl. "Been doing your homework, eh Potty?" a copy of the _Prophet _appeared from nowhere as Bellatrix contemplated her photograph. "I really think they should have caught me on a better day." She pouted, referring to the tiny picture of herself who was tugging at her chains, spitting and snarling at the camera. "Didn't quite catch me on my best day…" the circle of Death Eaters chuckled. "Well I must say today's going much better! Here I am, waltzing through the woods with a few of my chums and here I find Harry…" she lifted Albus' bangs, confused by the lack of lightning scar.

In a fit of fury, Bellatrix seized Albus by the front of his robes. "He's not Potter, you idiot!" she spat at the other Death Eater who had spoken. "My GOD, I would have never married you if I had known you would be such an _idiot!" _With that, she struck Albus in the face sending him sprawling face first into the snow, glasses skewed.

"Leave him alone you ugly bitch!" James, cried from where Alecto had his arms pinned.

Bellatrix spun around to face the eldest Potter. "Let him go, Alecto." She said icily.

"But…but Bellatrix…"

Bellatrix slashed her wand and Alecto Carrow fell to the ground, clutching her face.

"DON'T QUESTION ME YOU LUMPY FOOL!" Bellatrix pointed her wand at a bewildered James. "You, boy. Pick up your wand. Don't just stand there with dumb look on your face, pick it up!"

Without taking his eyes off of Bellatrix, James edged forward to retrieve his fallen wand. As soon as his fingers closed around the hawthorn hilt, Bellatrix cried out. "_Crucio!" _

James dropped his wand and fell to the snow, screaming in agony. Harry saw Albus try to crawl forward to help his brother but one of the older Death Eaters, Dolohov, placed a foot firmly on his back. The other Death Eaters laughed at the cruel scene as Harry and Ron struggled to break out of the Lestrange brothers' hold. Ginny and Hermione were doing the same and Rose and Hugo were calling for their cousin. Then all of a sudden a tiny voice cut through the chaos.

"_Ventus Maximus!" _

Bellatrix stumbled, spell broken, as a powerful gust of wind knocked her off balance. Dumbfounded, everyone looked around to see Lily holding a wand aimed at Bellatrix, Death Eater captor stunned at her feet and a look on her face like she knew she had done something she shouldn't have.

"You little bitch…" Bellatrix growled. Throwing James aside, she rounded on his little sister, hellfire raging in her cold black pupils. Lily dropped her wand in panic, backing away from Bellatrix but too slowly.

Bellatrix seized her by the hair. "Thought that was funny, did you?" she hissed into her ear. Roughly throwing her to the snow beside a barely stirring James, she drew her wand.

"Such a good little sister." Bellatrix crooned in a falsely sweet voice. "Wants to take the place of her big brother, does she?" More mirthless laughter from the Death Eater peanut gallery.

"N-n-n-" Poor lily couldn't even find the will to say no.

"Well if the filthy little blood traitor insists…" Bellatrix flourished her wand. Lily closed her eyes, fear clutching her chest. How could this have happened? Here she was, going to be tortured and killed by Bellatrix Lestrange all over a stupid shield!

"Then I'm only too happy to comply!" Bellatrix raised her wand, curse starting to build into a small blue ball at the tip.

Lily said the only thing she could think of; the childish plea rose to her lips so fast she didn't have time to stop herself.

"Mum…Dad…Teddy…anyone…" she whispered in a soft plea as Bellatrix moved in.

"_Crucio!" _Bellatrix screamed.

And Lily waited. Waited for the thousands of white hot knives to sear her skin and make her wail in agony. But to her surprise, the pain didn't come. She cracked her eyes to see a thin blue barrier holding the curse a few inches from her nose. Bellatrix looked speechless and Harry simply looked at his friends to see who cast it. But they were all unarmed.

"Who…?" Bellatrix started to ask but suddenly a strong, warm voice called from the darkness of the forest,

"_Reflega!" _

Bellatrix screamed in pain as the curse was turned against her with equal malice. As the pain dissipated, she looked around wildly for the caster, then suddenly a team of figures appeared at the edge of the forest.

Harry stared in shock as Teddy Lupin Apparated between trees, accompanied by Remus, Tonks and a very pretty blonde haired girl. To his left came, of all people, Severus Snape, Sirius Black Kingsley Shacklebolt. To his right, Ron Weasley emerged followed by none other than…

"Hermione?" Ron mouthed in disbelief. Hermione looked speechless but the biggest shock came from the one who cast the curse. Harry saw himself emerge behind a witch with her wand aimed at Bellatrix.

"That's…that's…" Ron gasped.

Throwing her long red hair out of the way, Ginny Potter fixed Bellatrix with a furious gaze that matched her own and uttered five words that seemed to burn the very air around them. .

"Not…my…daughter…you…._BITCH!" _

_AN: FIGHTIN TIME! Also if I fudged the details about the prisoners GET OVER IT!!! (JK____) I apologize. _


	10. Christmas

_Chapter Ten: Christmas _

_Disclaimer: Do you honestly think I'm JK Rowling? Really? Don't you feel a little silly for asking? _

"Not…my…daughter…you…._BITCH!" _

There was a breath of silence. The entire forest seemed to stop and watch the scene unfold. The mighty oaks encircled them, gazing down with ancient, unseeing eyes at what they knew was to come. The symphony of insects that had been buzzing since the sun set fell silent. It was as if the whole world was holding its breath.

Harry looked between a flaming mad middle aged Ginny and a dumbstruck Bellatrix. The combatants on the side looked on, as if waiting from some silent cue to begin.

"_Atrum Incendio!" _

Bellatrix recoiled as her robe was engulfed in patch of purple fire. James had managed to regain control of a wand and was chuckling to himself as he lay in the snow.

Bellatrix rounded to take her revenge but narrowly escaped a streak of light from and older Hermione's wand. After that it was a domino effect: all hell broke loose. Hermione dodged a spell from a Death Eater who in turn dodged a spell from Ron who parried a spell from another Death Eater who had to duck to avoid being hit by a stray spell from Ginny…

The clearing rang with the din of incantations and spells firing and igniting. Instinct kicking in, Harry grabbed Ginny and Ron (Who had a hold on Hermione's robe) and threw all four of them to the ground, narrowly avoiding the crossfire above.

Crawling through the snow, he moved himself and Ginny behind a pile of snow where they could watch the melee safely. From what they could see the fight was going well; Hermione had dropped her rival with a stream of metal birds, Ron was currently blasting spells at Rookwood while Harry and Ginny were dueling Dolohov and Lestrange respectfully.

The focal point of the struggle was Teddy and the blonde haired girl who Harry recognized from the vision as Victorie. They worked in tandem, blasting the nameless Death Eaters who charged them with smooth efficiency. Teddy would spin Vickie away as a spell missed her by mere inches, dipping her as they both fired wordless hexes from their wands. If it weren't for the knots of Death Eaters falling around them, it would have seemed as if they were dancing.

"Harry!" Lupin was making his way over to where he lay in the snow, dragging him down as he fired a curse at a large, blonde Death Eater who was about to attack. All around the other Phoenix members were pulling non combatants out of the melee, disarming fallen death eaters and healing small wounds.

Snow was now falling thick from trees as birds fled from their rapidly destroyed homes. Harry put his head down as hex after hex streamed overhead like a laser light show. When he looked back up Ted, Victorie, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny had all closed in on Bellatrix and Dolohov who simply refused to go down. The odds were three on one and yet the dark magicians were equal to it.

Suddenly a figure broke rank and charged with unbridled ferocity. Ted lunged, firing multiple spells with several deft wand moves. Dolohov squealed as a purple blast sent him toppling head over heels into a tree. He slid down, motionless. Now it was Teddy versus Bellatrix, the older parents stepped back as a volley of curses erupted from the combatants wands. Harry watched with mounting trepidation as the slightly goofy, carefree disposition that he had come to expect from Teddy vanished, replaced by a mad look that was herald of darker deeds.

Bellatrix had changed her look as well. The half mad grin she usually wore was rapidly giving way to bitter concentration and (Harry hardly dared to believe it) _fear. _Was the Dark Lord's right hand actually cowering from a single wizard?

Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light and then absolute silence. Then suddenly the ring of trees erupted in a swath of purple light as they were thrown headlong into a tree. Stars clouded Harry's vision as he felt the rough bark smash against his back and the wind knocked out of him as Ginny collided with his stomach.

Bellatrix was down but Teddy wasn't done. His hair was now a fiery red that occasionally streaked with black, white and purple. His eyes emitted an ethereal glow as he closed in on the crumpled Death Eater.

He was out for blood and he wasn't going to stop until he got it

"Ted!" Harry heard a voice call out to him. Ted looked up sharply to see his godfather slowly walking towards him, palms out in a universal gesture of "let's-take-a-chill-pill" gesture often used with the borderline mad.

"Ted," Harry continued. "It's over; we've won."

"Not…yet." He breathed turning back to the stupefied Death Eater.

"Teddy," Ginny slowly moved to stand beside her husband. "I know what you're thinking…"

"No," Ted said, turning flaming mad eyes to lock on Ginny. "_You don't…" _A gust of wind kicked up, shaking the snow from the trees and onto the younger kids.

Teddy planted a frost encrusted boot on Bellatrix's chest, raising his wand high over his head while still pointing down. Ted ground his teeth, working his jaw muscles like he was chewing something. Then, even over the howling wind, his whisper carried over the snow.

"I always thought…" he began slowly. "That everything happens for a reason. That we can't alter destiny. I've never thought about my parent's killers because they were _dead." _Ted nearly spat the last word through clenched, working teeth. "But…"

"Teddy," Harry heard himself say again. "I know what you're feeling now, believe me I do. Bellatrix Lestrange was an abhorrent old hag and our world is an infinitely better place since Molly finished her off. But she still has a part to play in this whole mess, Ted."

"WHAT PART?!" The wind increased in velocity as Teddy exploded at his godfather. Harry saw himself falter slightly but remain firm.

Harry fixed his godson with a most severe expression. "She has to kill your mother. That's the way it happens."

"But…" Teddy turned back to Bellatrix who was stirring slightly. "I can do something…I…I can stop her here…now…I…I" Teddy fixated Bellatrix with such a passionate fury that Harry was sure that he would end her there and then.

Ted raised his arm, a tip of glowing green light forming at the tip then, suddenly, a smaller hand gently grabbed Teddy's shoulder, he looked around to see who had interrupted his vengeful rage only to see…

Victorie

Her hair was whipping in the gale, but she seemed not to notice. Her robes were ripped at the elbow, but she wasn't concerned with that either. Victorie gently lowered Teddy's arm to his side.

"Teddy…please…enough." Two small tear drops rolled out of each baby blue orb.

The gales died down. Teddy's eyes no longer shone but changed back to a watery blue. His hair changed from flaming red to a soft, mousy brown color flecked with the occasional pink strand. He was shaking ever so slightly when Vicky gently pulled him into her arms.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry..." he said into her strawberry blonde hair as she held him tightly.

Harry looked down to feel Ginny shivering in his arms. He pulled his cloak around the two of them and held her close as Teddy and Victorie did in the lightly falling snow.

* * *

_CRASH _

"Hermione, I swear I didn't mean to…"

_BOOM _

"Ginny, you've got to believe me!"

_CRASH, CRACK, SMASH_

Harry and Ron watched as the mid morning light set a strange scene in the Weasley's front yard. Their future wives hurled hex after hex after Teddy who was hurling bits of rock and broken pottery to defend himself. Hermione and Ginny had been perfectly sympathetic towards Teddy until the younger Ginny had let on how much they had been told by Teddy.

"You…complete…_idiot!" _Ginny screeched, punctuating each word with a bolt from her wand. "What…were…you…thinking?"

"You could have unraveled the time stream you fool!" Hermione roared, firing a stream of rapid-fire curses

Hugo stepped forward. "I thought you said that you should never curse anyone unless its really…"

"STAY OUT OF THIS!!!!" Both women rounded on Hugo who shrank behind his father.

"As for you two," Ginny said turning on Albus and James who quailed under their gaze. James stepped forward.

"I know mom. Albus and I shouldn't have been playing with dad's stuff. But, hey, it's Christmas. Isn't it a time for peace on earth and goodwill towards your slightly screw-up children?"

Albus joined his brother, picking up on a silent cue. "Yeah, because, I learned something today…"

"Oh spare me…" Rose muttered from her place on the front porch.

"And that would be?" his father asked

"Um…that…" Albus fumbled slightly. "I learned to…believe in myself, trust my heart, decode Sanskrit and…um…that your disappointment is punishment enough?" Albus said hopefully

"Well…" Hermione said lowering her wand. "I'm glad to hear that some good has come from all this."

Albus grinned.

"That's still not going to stop us from grounding you until you're old enough to buy firewhiskey." His mother said, folding her arms

"WHAT?!!" James and Albus cried together.

"The Order isn't the issue here," Harry said, folding his arms to match his wife. "Even though it's a cliché, your mother and I were worried sick about you!"

"And as for you two…" Hugo and Lily shuffled uncomfortably under Ron's frightening impression of his wife. "You put yourselves in serious danger by coming along with them!"

"What's more," Ginny said, rounding out the fray. "You blackmailed your cousin into coming with you!"

Albus gaped. "H-h-how did you know that?"

Teddy made a back and forth motion with his fingers indicating bouncing waves, educing a collective "oooh" of dismay from the kids.

"And as for _you _young lady," Ron said, brandishing a certain incriminating photograph casing Rose to tremble and her brother and cousins to snicker triumphantly.

Ron crumpled up the picture and threw it away. "I guess there's nothing we can do about it."

Rose looked at her dad like he had just pardoned her from capital execution. "R-really?"

Albus and James looked at their uncle like he had lost his tiny little mind. "R-Really"

* * *

Meanwhile Teddy and Victorie were sitting off to the side of the deck, watching Rose hug her mother and father.

Victorie leaned her head against Teddy's shoulder. "Awww. How cute. Rosie's dating the little blonde haired git and everybody's happy about it."

Teddy chuckled as strains of Albus and James' bitter tirade carried over the field ("So let me get this straight: We _accidentally _destroy some stupid shield and we get grounded but she willingly snogs the son of your nemesis and you guys are _fine _with that?!??!?!)

A gentle _hem-hem _from behind him caused Teddy to turn around to see Tonks shifting uncomfortably behind him, looking for a convenient ice breaker to try and instigate conversation with her future son, but all she could think of was, "So…"

Teddy racked his brain. Since he was five years old he had thought what he would say to his parents if he ever met them but now that he actually had, the best he could do was say "Yeah…"

"So…" Tonks started again. "Sorry for Stupefying you in the chest."

"Yeah…" Teddy feebly said. "Guess I should have watched my back." They both chuckled nervously and looked down at the same time.

"Can I just-" They both said simultaneously.

"Sorry"

"So ahead"

"No you go"

"No, go ahead."

"Well…" Teddy said, rubbing the back of his hair, changing it to pink as he did so. "I've…always wondered what I'd say if I ever met you; like somewhere beyond the grave or something. But…now that I'm here…I'm speechless."

Tonks nodded. "Well…I'm not exactly sure to say to my...my…"

"Son." Victorie supplied helpfully.

"Yes…you're right. You know something?" Tonks gave a watery chuckle. "While most of me was trying to win Remus over, I was never really sure what it would be like. If we could even have a normal life or family, But now I see you and…it's like everything's going to be alright somehow."

Teddy smiled. "Then…I guess there's really nothing left to say."

Tonks sighed. "Yeah. Everything's peachy except for…" she looked off towards the Weasley's house where the rest of the Order was being briefed on what was happening. Lupin was leaning against the railing, looking out at the forest with a faraway look in his eye.

Teddy stared at his father for a second before turning to his girlfriend. "Vicky, why don't you chat with my mum for a bit? I've got to take care of something."

* * *

Ginny was sitting on the back steps, watching her future sons sulkily blow up clods of dirt. A little ways off, Harry and Ron were doing the same. Every now and then, Ginny would glance over to see Harry looking back at her. They would start and look away quickly, suddenly shy.

Hermione came through the back door. "Well, they've brought the rest of the Order up to speed. You said….well, not _you _you I mean the older you…that they would be able to leave shortly, but they had some things to take care of first." She sighed and flopped down next to Ginny and resumed watching the kids.

"They look like their world's come to a close." Ginny said, indicating James, Albus, Lily and Hugo.

"Well, I _did _tell them not to go." Ginny and Hermione looked back to see Rose coming through the back door, sipping a mug of cocoa in a satisfied way. "I wouldn't have come myself if it weren't for that damned picture."

Ginny chuckled quietly to herself. "What?" Hermione and Rose asked in unison.

"So…you and Malfoy, huh?"

Rose blushed scarlet. "Oh…that. I really don't see what you guys have against him. He's perfectly sweet and charming and…"

"You sure his name's Malfoy then?" Ginny asked

Hermione and Rose reluctantly laughed. "Hey, can I ask you something, Rose?"

"Sure."

"What in God's name possessed me to name my son Hugo?"

"Classic Muggle Literature." Hermione felt a chill run down her spine as her own voice, modified by the years, answered from her daughter's side.

"It was originally supposed to be Victor Hugo Weasley but Ron had some…qualms with naming him Victor." Hermione giggled in spite of herself. "Rose came from Shakespeare."

"Huh?" Ginny asked.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose would smell so sweet." Hermione quoted perfectly. "Romeo and Juliet. A story about forbidden love between the children of rival families. Rather interesting to see how she's lived up to her namesake." Rose blushed and all three girls laughed as the older Ginny joined the trio out on the porch.

* * *

"But why _Severus?" _

Harry looked up at the father of the sullen youths who had come to join them on the edge of the snow covered fields. Harry was looking at Albus who had formed a lump of snow into a perfect snowman and sent it after his brother who fled in terror, blasting fireballs from his wand tip as he went.

The older Harry looked thoughtfully at his youngest son before responding. "I'll tell you now what I told Al the day he came home from school, crying because the kids had said he was named after a murderer." The younger Harry's eyebrows shot up at this remark, but chose not to pursue it. "I told him that I had named him after two headmasters of Hogwarts and…" Harry watched himself pause for a second, choosing his words carefully. "And after the bravest people I knew."

"_Snape?" _Ron said incredulously

"I tried to talk him out of it," Ron looked back as his older self came up behind them. "But he swore up and down they made the right decision."

"Just remember," Harry said seriously. "Whatever Snape says, whatever he does and no matter how terrible those Occlumency lessons are; remember that Severus Snape will do anything, _anything _to keep you safe."

"But…he hates me...us" Harry said dumbstruck.

"He hated Dad." Harry said finally. "But Mum…"

"What?" Ron asked. "What about his Mum?"

"Nothing." Harry said quickly.

* * *

Ginny was picking gloomily at the Dumbledore's Army photo, looking at how Harry's picture was subtly moving towards Cho's figure. Her stomach twisted when she thought back to the kiss she witnessed when they thought they were alone. She didn't mean to spy; she had just left her bookbag in the Room of Requirement when she walked in on them making out under the conveniently placed mistletoe. That was almost a week ago and her prospects with Harry were looking slimmer and slimmer by the moment.

"Don't worry about Cho." A familiar voice said. Ginny turned around to see her older self leaning over the rail, sipping her coffee, watching over her son run from the hell-spawned snowman conjured by his brother.

"How did you…" Ginny asked.

Ginny shrugged _(An: Oh God this is confusing…) _"I wore that same expression when I was, well, you."

"Yeah, I guess…"

"No worries. In a few months he'll get sick of her being a drama queen and she'll get sick of him being "insensitive" and move on." Ginny said with a satisfied smirk.

Ginny gave a watery chuckle. "So I'm guessing that Michael and I are…"

"Doomed. But did I really need to tell you that?"

* * *

Lupin stirred his cocoa as he watched Tonks and the blonde haired girl meander though the snow. He chuckled to himself as Tonks destroyed the evil snowman with a blast from her wand, showering them both with snow.

"She's…" Lupin mused to no one in particular.

"Go on." Teddy came up behind him. HE leaned back against the railing, folding his arms. "Say it."

"I…" Lupin's voice failed.

"What?" Teddy snapped, hair flashing red. "Say it."

"Its not that simple. People like me can't-"

"Can't what? Feel?" Lupin quailed under his son's tone. "Remus…Dad…Look at me."

Lupin looked up to see Teddy glaring back at him. "I'll say this and then you'll do what you will. You and her are not long for this world. You've got maybe two years left." Teddy leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a deadly whisper. "It's up to you to decide how to spend it. You can't keep pushing people away, especially people who care you"

"I…couldn't risk it." Lupin said, desperately.

"Risk?! RISK?!!" Teddy angrily shoved his hand into his pocket. Lupin's hand twitched towards his wand, afraid that Teddy was going to attack him. But instead of a wand, Teddy produced a black, velvet box, slamming it down on the railing, making a dent in the snow drift. Cracking it open, he revealed a ring with three shining diamonds embedded in the band.

"I'm twenty year old half-werewolf Metamorphing _orphan _who makes his Galleons hunting deranged Dark wizards. You want to talk to me about _risk?" _Teddy was shaking with rage. "I have next to _nothing _but I'm willing to risk it all for Vicky because, well…I love her. Merlin, I love her more than I've ever loved anyone in my life."

Teddy pocketed the ring, angrily brushing the tears from his eyes. "It's your call, Dad."

* * *

Victorie had made her way onto the porch as Tonks and Teddy talked out on the snow. She couldn't hear, but judging by the way Ted was gesturing back towards the porch and how Tonks was nodding like some kind of bobble-head, he was convincing her to do something about Remus. Tonks shot an uncertain look at Remus and for a second she looked as if her once infallible nerve had failed. Then Teddy put a reassuring arm on her shoulder. Tonks looked back at him and, for the first time since he could remember, he hugged his mother. Teddy pulled back and with a helpful nod and a light push, she headed out over the snow to where Remus was staring off pensively.

Teddy was coming back to where Victorie was sitting with a slightly pained look. Most people couldn't tell but over the six years they had been a couple, Victorie had learned to pick up on the slight fluctuations in Teddy's demeanor. His hair slightly flecked with grey and his eyes changed to a watery blue.

Victorie wrapped her arms around his slim shoulders and pecked him lightly on the cheek. Almost at once he relaxed, hair returning to his favorite blue.

"And now we wait." He said, leaning his head against hers

It was a few minutes before they spoke. Once again they couldn't tell what they were saying but judging by how they were slowly inching closer to each other, it was clear that it was going well. One by one, the rest of the Order and the time travelers made their way on to their side of the deck to see what was happening. Minutes ticked by agonizingly slow for Teddy who waited to see if his words would convince his parents to commit.

Finally, after what seemed like hours Tonks grabbed the front of Remus' jacket and kissed him full on the lips.

All around them a general cheer went up. Everybody awwwed and Sirius let out a surprisingly loud wolf whistle.

"Congratulations, _mon amor_." Victorie whispered in Teddy's ear.

"For what?" Teddy asked, slightly confused

"You may have been the only person in history to have set their parents up."

* * *

"Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one…"

The air split apart as if someone had taken a knife to it, revealing a cozy sitting room all decked out for the holidays right in the middle of the snowy field.

Harry turned back to face the old Order. "Well, that's our way home."

"How…" Harry looked at his older self for some explanation

"A very long and complicated spell that would bore everyone except Hermione." Ron said to general amusement and a smack across the head from his wife.

"Hey, wait!" Teddy said, reaching into his cloak and pulling out a large camera equipped with a tripod. "Let's get a picture with everybody in it!" Harry looked at his godson who shot a wink in return.

"Yeah…" Harry said catching on. "Everybody get together, nice and close. Remus, you and Tonks on that side…let's put the kids in the middle…" While Harry was arranging the picture, Ginny spotted her older self handing out pairs of sunglasses to everyone from the future. She shot a questioning look at Hermione who just shrugged.

"Alright!" Teddy said, putting on a pair of black aviators. "Now on three every body say "Permanent Memory Loss!"

"Huh?"

The last thing Harry remembered was six wizards pulling wands and shouting "_Oblivious Maxima!" _

Harry blinked a few times. "What…what just happened?" he asked the strange looking wizard with blue hair who was stowing his wand and walking towards a strange looking light. "Who are you?"

The wizard looked back and with a wolfish grin replied. "Me? I'm just a figment of your imagination."

A moment later he was gone.

Rose sat upstairs, looking thoughtfully out the window of her aunt's house. Christmas had gone on without a hitch: presents were opened, pie was eaten and, like every year, her dad would try to do something clever with the ornaments which would result in little glass orbs rocketing around the house until her mother stopped them.

What bothered fourteen year old Roslyn Juliet Weasley was what was going to happen to everyone in the past. She had known the memory erasure was necessary but she couldn't help but think what would change because of their meddling.

There was a faint tapping at the window. Rose snapped out of her trance to se a magnificent snowy white owl pecking at the window. Hastily unlatching the window, she stood back as the bird flapped in, landing delicately on the desk. Hurrying to its side, she tore the letter off the bird's leg and proceeded to scan it hungrily.

_Dear Rose, _

_I would have started off with something like "My Darling Rosie" or something like that but then I realized who it was I was writing to and how hackneyed you would think it._

_I'm writing this letter from my room which I fortified with every evil cure I know against every last stinking relative here at old Chez Malfoy. My granddad got smashed again and went on a slurring tirade about how the Dark Lord should have won before passing out on the drawing room floor. Dad also had a few old "friends" over. He says they had to leave the country a while ago because of an "accident". Mum is lecturing the congregation about the long and most noble house Malfoy. I had to leave before I threw up. My cousins are outside torturing squirrels and my bloody baby sister is spiking the punch with bleach. I swear I'm going to one of those Muggle blood testers to see if I'm actually related to these freaks of nature. _

_I think I'm going to tell my dad about us soon. I'm a little sick of constantly worrying about who's reading my things or who's watching us (I swear there was some one watching us in the broom closet last week). I'm ready to be fully honest but only if you are. If you want, we can talk to your dad together. I just don't want you there when I talk to my dad. I don't know what he'll do and I don't want you getting hurt._

_Wishing your Christmas was at least better than mine (Couldn't have been worse) _

_XXOOXxOxo _

_Scorpio _

_P.S. I know you told me not to get you anything but I did. Deal with it :P _

Rose smiled as she folded the letter and placed it gently in her pocket. Opening the desk, she drew a quill and parchment and began to write.

_Dear Scorpio _

_Good to hear from you. I thought we would have to wait until we got back to school to talk to each other. _

_Turns out that someone watching us was my little cousin Lily so my dad knows. He was surprisingly cool with it. That means all there's left to do is break the news to your dad. Be careful though. I'm worried about him too. _

_Christmas over here was_

Rose put down her quill, searching for the right words to sum up what had happened to her in the last few days. In the next room, she could hear her cousin saying "Levitate it, James!"

Rolling her eyes she returned for the paper

_Christmas was dull, as usual. Hugo and my cousins got grounded for destroying my uncle's Order of Merlin. The only interesting part was when Teddy asked Victorie to marry him! He's really going to be part of the family now! _

_Hope all goes well _

_XXOOXxOxo _

_Rosie _

_P.S. I got you something too. __You __deal with it :P _

Rose folded the letter, and attached it to Scorpio's owl's leg. She opened the window and as the snowy bird flew out she inhaled the pure, clean smell of fresh snow. Sighing happily, she turned back to leave the room.

If you could have been there, you would have seen a perfectly normal Potter Christmas. Harry and Ron were still battling the soaring ornaments, Hermione was adamantly refusing to do anything ("NO! I'm not going to do anything about it this time! Figure it out yourselves!") Teddy and Victorie were snuggled up on the love seat, wrapped in a throw blanket while Hugo and Lily were engrossed in a game of exploding snap, Ginny was owling her mum with the news that her first granddaughter was getting married and as Rose descended the stairs, she had to pass her uncle's study. From under the door there was a flash of light, a shattering of glass, a cry of alarm from Albus and finally James' panicked voice saying,

"Don't panic! I've got a plan…"

_The End _

_AN: That's all folks! Thanks to all of you who stuck with it until the end and were patient enough to wait three months for my final chapter. I'd like to thank the author of __In The Words of Ginevra Molly Potter __for inspiring me to get off my ass (arse if you're English) and finish. For my next trick, I think I'll let you guys decide…_

_The story of the battle of Hogwarts told from different points of view_

_Harry and Ginny look over some pictures and conveniently flashback to events bridging the last chapter to the epilogue to beyond (Series of Oneshots: Harry proposing to Ginny; Teddy and Victorie doing…something; Rosie and Scorpius experience troubles and more!) _

_Teddy struggles through his last year at Hogwarts as an old enemy lurks in the shadows…Slightly AU (Involves a Death Eater that rhymes with Pelladrix Berrange) _

_Vote on which one you would like to see me do! I'll tally the votes Sunday, January sixth and 12:00 PM (Californian Time) and write a new one from there! So Vote and be COOOOOOOL!!!!! _

_Peace! _

_DOTMW _


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